Showing results by narrator "Todd Ross" in All Categories

A small boy finds himself shrinking in this oddly offbeat, surreal, and funny story. No one around seems to appreciate what Treehorn's going through - his parents are busy, his friends laugh at him, and he gets sent to the Principal's office for shrinking. Or was it shirking? Clearly, the adults in his life have no clue and can't help. In the end, Treehorn figures it out on his own, and all is well. At least until he turns green. A charming, imaginative classic that will appeal to any kid who feels they're not truly seen or heard by the grown-ups in their life. Works for adults, too.

When does a scientific discovery become accepted fact? Why have scientific facts become easy to deny? And what can we do about it? In The Workshop and the World, philosopher and science historian Robert P. Crease answers these questions by describing the origins of our scientific infrastructure - the “workshop” - and the role of 10 of the world’s greatest thinkers in shaping it. As today’s politicians and government officials increasingly accuse scientists of dishonesty, conspiracy, and even hoaxes, engaged citizens wonder how we got to this level of distrust....

Solus celebrates the Opening of the Mundus, a two-day holiday for the dead, but the city of the Soleri is hardly in need of diversion. A legion of traitors, led by a former captain of the Soleri military, rallies at the capital's ancient walls. And inside those fortifications, trapped by circumstance, a second army fights for its very existence. In a world inspired by ancient Egyptian history and King Lear, this follow-up to Michael Johnston's Soleri finds Solus besieged from within as well as without, and the Hark-Wadi family is stuck at the heart of the conflict.

I'm Sam. I'm just this guy. Okay, yeah, I'm a golem created from the substance of his own magic by the late Hierarch of Southern California. With a lot of work, I might be able to wield magic myself. I kind of doubt it, though. Not like Daniel Blackland can.

In Defying Limits, Dave Williams shares the events that have defined his life, showing us that whether we’re gravity-defying astronauts or earthbound terrestrials, we can all live infinite, fulfilled lives by relishing the value and importance of each moment. The greatest fear that we all face is not the fear of dying but the fear of never having lived. Each of us is greater than we believe. Together, we can exceed our limits to soar farther and higher than we ever imagined.

Joey Kopecky and his friends, Shazad and Leanora, have the weight of the world on their shoulders. As the new Order of the Majestic, it is their responsibility to keep magic alive and free for all and to fight the influence of the Invisible Hand, a sinister group of magicians intent on rounding up the world’s remaining magical items and keeping everything to themselves. It’s a vital mission and a sacred duty, but the Invisible Hand has been playing this game - and playing it well - for centuries.

The creator of the viral parenting concept the “X-Plan” illuminates the importance of awakening your child’s unique strength - while also taking an introspective look at your own life story to become a better parent.

In Fooling with the Amish, Dirk Eitzen examines the fakery in Amish Mafia and how actual viewers of the show responded to it to discover answers to two questions that have long puzzled media scholars: What is it about the so-called reality of reality shows that appeals to and gratifies viewers? How and why are people taken in by falsehoods in the media? Eitzen's ultimate answer to these questions is that, in taking liberties with facts, Amish Mafia works very much like gossip.

In this book, horror-expert Mathias Clasen delves into the psychological science of horror cinema to bust some of the worst myths and correct the biggest misunderstandings surrounding the genre. In short and highly enjoyable chapters peppered with vivid anecdotes and examples, he addresses the nervous person's most pressing questions: What are the effects of horror films on our mental and physical health? Why do they often cause nightmares? Aren't horror movies immoral and a bad influence on children and adolescents?

The ruling family of the Soleri Empire has been in power longer than even the calendars that stretch back 2,826 years. Those records tell a history of conquest and domination by a people descended from gods, older than anything in the known world. No living person has seen them for centuries, yet their grip on their four subjugate kingdoms remains tighter than ever. On the day of the annual eclipse, the Harkan king, Arko-Hark Wadi, sets off on a hunt and shirks his duty rather than bow to the emperor.

Two 20-something New Yorkers: awkward Seth and Carter, the trust fund hipster. They have one thing in common: an obsession with music. Rising stars on the producing scene, they stumble across a blues song long forgotten by history - and everything starts to unravel as they are drawn down a path that allows no return. Trapped in a game they don't understand, caught between performer and audience, righteous and forsaken....

It may be taboo to say, but some groups in America do better than others. Mormons have recently risen to astonishing business success. Cubans in Miami climbed from poverty to prosperity in a generation. Nigerians earn doctorates at stunningly high rates. Indian and Chinese Americans have much higher incomes than other Americans; Jews may have the highest of all. Why do some groups rise?

George goes WILD in the wild! He cannot wait to go on his first camping trip with the Beaver Scouts. But once in the wilderness his magical super burp returns, awakening animals - including, perhaps, the Ferocious Furry Frog.

By March of Owen Edmonds’s senior year, 11 students at Masonville High School have committed suicide. Owen tries to remain levelheaded - until he endures his own near-death experience and wakes to a distressing new reality. The people around him suddenly appear to be shackled and enslaved. Owen eventually arrives at a mind-bending conclusion: he’s not imagining the evil - everyone else is blind to its reality. Will he be able to convince anyone to believe him before it’s too late?

Forget those cute and cuddly puppies, kittens, and Koala bears - it’s time to learn about vomit munchers, blood slurpers, slime makers, and dookie lovers. The world is filled with gross animals, and these are the very grossest. Houseflies: When they land on your food, they immediately puke their guts out. Leeches: Once they hook onto your skin, they begin greedily sucking your blood. Slugs: If you pick one up, your hand will be covered with a mucus-like ooze....

A new breed of monopolies is threatening your business. Tech megafirms from around the world are encroaching on your industry's space, rewriting the rules, and scooping up talent - and your customers. What should you and your company be doing right now to counter these challenges? Monopolies and Tech Giants: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review will provide you with today's most essential thinking on corporate inequality, help you understand what it will mean for your organization, and inspire your company to succeed in the winner-take-all economy.

Much of the health advice we receive tells us that in order to be healthy, we must consume a Spartan diet, exercise with the intensity of an Olympic athlete, and take a drug for every ailment. We constantly worry about the foods we should or shouldn't be eating and the medical tests we have neglected to take. And all that worry costs us dearly - financially, emotionally, and physically. In The Good Vices, naturopathic physician Dr. Harry Ofgang and health journalist Erik Ofgang tear down decades of myth to reveal how some of our guilty pleasures are actually good for our health.

From New York Times best-selling author Mac Barnett, an uproarious early reader series about a mischievous rabbit, a cranky old lady, and a lovable dog. Meet Jack: He lives in a tree house. His interests include snacks, petty theft, and lipstick graffiti. Jack also loves his friends, he just has a funny way of showing it sometimes.... A perfect tale with snappy, rhythmic text, this series will bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books and fill the Elephant-and-Piggie-shaped hole in young listeners' hearts.

Acclaimed author Nancy Krulik pens New York Times best-selling fiction for children and young adults. In this fourth installment of her humorous George Brown, Class Clown series, Krulik continues the misadventures of a kid who’s as likable as he is trouble prone. Burps are bad, but super burps are even worse. So when George comes down with a serious case of the super burps, he fears he’s going to ruin Field Day for everyone.

It's a signal paradox of our times that we live in an information society but do not know how it works. And without understanding how our information is stored, used and protected, we are vulnerable to having it exploited. In Fancy Bear Goes Phishing, Scott Shapiro exposes the secrets of the digital age. With lucidity and wit, he establishes that cybercrime has less to do with defective programming than with the faulty wiring of our psyches and society. And because hacking is a human story, he tells the fascinating tales of perpetrators.