The Great Wall of China is a man-made wonder, spanning thousands of miles. It spreads from the Pacific Ocean in the East to the Gobi Desert and beyond in the west. Much of it has stood for hundreds of years, with some portions over 2000 years old. The Great Wall stood as a wall of defense for many years, against the warring states to the north. Then, in 1271, the Mongols invaded. Suddenly work on the wall came to a halt. While many parts of the wall are now in disrepair, many other parts have been restored or reconstructed. It still stands today as a great wonder of the world. Do you know: How old is the oldest part of the Great Wall? How long did it take to build the first Great Wall? How many workers died during construction of the Great Wall? Which dynasty built the longest wall? When was the wall we see today built? Find out the answers to these questions and more and amaze your family and friends with these fun facts. Ages 10 and up. All measurements in American and metric. Reading Level: 6.6 LearningIsland.com believes in the value of children practicing reading for 15 minutes every day. Our 15-Minute Books give children lots of fun, exciting choices to read, from classic stories, to mysteries, to books of knowledge. Many books are appropriate for hi-lo readers. Open the world of reading to a child by having them read for 15 minutes a day.

Often called ���the roof of the world��� the Himalayas are the highest mountain range on Earth. They have over 100 peaks that are 4.5 miles (7 kilometres) high and have jet stream winds blasting at up to 200 miles (322 kilometres) per hour. The Himalayas are a snow-capped wonder of beauty, wildlife and mystery. Find out more about this magnificent mountain range. Reading level: 7.1

Alexander the Great was a Greek ruler. He conquered many lands. He also built or named 17 cities Alexandria – after himself. One of these cities is in Egypt, 20 miles west of the Nile. In this a massive, ancient lighthouse was built. The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Amaze your family and friends with these fun facts about the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst was an intelligent and ambitious girl. She first met her cousin Karl Peter Ulrich when she was ten. She didn’t like him. The scheming of others saw both their lives turned around. Name changes, a new country and an unhappy marriage to each other saw “Peter” on the Russian throne. Catherine soon overthrew him. Ruling Russia for 34 years, she became known as Catherine the Great. Find out more about this legendary ruler in this 15-minute children's biography. Ages 10 and up. Reading Level: 6.9 Learning Island believes in the value of children practicing reading for 15 minutes every day. Our 15-Minute Books give children lots of fun, exciting choices to read, from classic stories, to mysteries, to books of knowledge. Many books are appropriate for hi-lo readers. Open the world of reading to a child by having them read for 15 minutes a day.

Theodore Roosevelt was a writer, soldier, hunter, naturalist and politician. He loved nature and the environment, and wanted to improve the lives of Americans. After the assassination of President McKinley, he became the 26th and youngest President of the United States. Find out more about this legendary president in this 15-minute children's biography. Ages 9 and up. Reading Level: 7.2 Learning Island believes in the value of children practicing reading for 15 minutes every day. Our 15-Minute Books give children lots of fun, exciting choices to read, from classic stories, to mysteries, to books of knowledge. Many books are appropriate for hi-lo readers. Open the world of reading to a child by having them read for 15 minutes a day.

Presents facts, photographs and information on the Great Wall of China.

A history of the building of the various pieces of the Great Wall of China, with details of how the walls were built through the ages.