Compares the speed of various animals, from humans to cheetahs to peregrine falcons, with even faster things like rockets, meteoroids, and light.

The cheetah can run faster than any animal in the world. It races along at up to 70 miles per hour—that’s more than the speed limit on most highways! Plus, this sleek cat has faster acceleration than a sports car. A cheetah can go from 0 to 45 miles per hour in less than three seconds! These are some of the fascinating facts in store for kids as they learn all about these speedy creatures. Eye-popping photos and clear, easy-to-read text will engage emergent readers as they discover the anatomical features that help cheetahs reach fast speeds. A "Speed-o-Meter" graphic compares the cheetah's top speed to that of humans and racehorses.

Get set for a rollicking, rip-roaring race as a crowd of competitive contestants attempt to cross the finish line ahead of a cheetah.

The cheetah is the world's fastest land mammal. They can accelerate faster than most cars. These spotted animals are some of the most easily recognized animals. Cheetahs are built for the chase. Young readers will learn about what makes the cheetah such a fierce predator, what cheetahs eat, how many cubs they have, how long they live, and many other facts. Get your readers ready to hunt beside the speedy cheetah.

A pygmy shrew is small—it's among the littlest mammals! A ladybug is even smaller, but it hardly seems tiny when you compare it to a protozoa! And there are many things smaller still—so small that we can see them only with a microscope. Would you believe there are particles that are so tiny that we can't measure their exact size? Explore the huge world of the very small!

Move to another planet? Sounds interesting! In our imaginary spaceship, let's check out the planets in our solar system. Mercury is closest, but it has no air, and it's either sizzling hot or bitterly cold. The atmosphere on Venus is poisonous; plus, human beings would cook there. Mars might work, but you'd always have to be in a protective shelter. And if you got to the outer planets, you couldn't even land as they are mostly made of gas! Our home planet is looking good. Why is Earth so comfortable for plants, animals, and people? As Robert E. Wells explains, it's because of our just-right position form the sun, marvelous atmosphere, and abundant water. Our planet is very special and perfect for us, and that's why we must do all we can to keep Earth healthy.