John Bankston

The sound of a rattlesnake's rattle is very scary. In South America, it means a snake with far more venom than a northern rattler is nearby. The South American rattlesnake is great at hiding and catching small animals. Its rattle warns people to stay away. Learn all about this crafty predator in South America's Deadly Rattlesnake. One of six titles in the series Lethal Strikers: Latin America's Deadliest Snakes, this book is filled with valuable info...

Locusts are incredible insects. Usually, they want to be alone. Then, suddenly and without warning, they start to form groups. These groups transform into dangerous swarms. Part of a series on “Insects Around the World”, “All About African Locusts” explains how these swarms happen and what it means for people. Loaded with eye-catching, full-color photographs, this book reveals the parts of the locust and where it lives. If you've ever wondered...

With their bright bands of red, black, yellow, and white rings on their body, the coral snake is very pretty. It's also very deadly. This speedy killer mainly attacks other snakes. It can swallow a foot-long snake whole. The Coral Snake: South America's Deadly Venomous Snake explores how this beautiful snake lives and feeds. Just one title in the Lethal Strikers: Latin America's Deadliest Snakes series, this book is filled with stunning photographs...

The fer-de-lance can wait days for its food to arrive. It lies still and camouflaged in leaf litter waiting to ambush its prey. When a bird or rat gets too close, it attacks! Inside Fer-De-Lance: The Most Dangerous Snake in Latin America, you'll learn all about how this vicious predator kills its prey. One in a number of titles in Lethal Strikers: Latin America's Deadliest Snakes, this book is crammed with color pictures and many details about this...

Across Africa, most people are not worried about stampeding elephants or attacking lions. Instead, they fear the lowly mosquito. This insect kills more people than any other. Learn about this unique blood sucker in “All About African Mosquitoes”, part of an ongoing series on Insects Around the World. This book is packed with colorful pictures and information about how the mosquito feeds its young by feeding on us.

Africa is home to many insects, but few are as pretty as the Zulu hud bug. These beautiful bugs are not easy to find but inside the pages of “All About African Zulu Hud Bugs” you'll learn all about them. Discover how these colorful creatures feed and live. Part of an ongoing series on Insects Around the World, this book is loaded with full-color photos of this striking insect.

The Bothrops is good at making itself look like food. Its tail attracts other animals. When they get too close, the Bothrops strikes! Its venom is powerful and fast acting. Plus, some of these snakes are huge -- over six feet long and weighing as much as a big bag of potatoes. Learn all about this careful killer in Bothrops: South America's Highly Venomous Snake. Part of the series Lethal Strikers: Latin America's Deadliest Snakes, this book is filled...

Almost invisible, the African boomslang lies in deadly wait. When it strikes, it easily kills. That's because few snakes are as venomous as this silent killer. Part of the series “Lethal Strikers: Africa's Deadliest Snakes”, “African Boomslang: Africa's Most Venomous Snake” offers more than just an introduction to this deadly but beautiful reptile. It's also packed with full-color photos and information on how this snake lives and kills.

Airports welcome planes of all shapes and sizes. Only one attracts crowds wherever it lands. The Antonov 124 was built to carry tanks and helicopters for the Russian military. Today it carries everything from jet engines to trains. It is the biggest working cargo plane in the world.

For years, people doubted pro soccer would ever catch on in the South. After the Miami and Tampa Major League Soccer teams folded in 2001, there wasn't an MLS team in the region for a very long time. It took the owner of the Atlanta Falcons ten years to convince MLS to let him have a team. Then it cost over one billion dollars to build a new stadium for football and soccer. When Atlanta United FC began playing, fans thought it was worth it. Today...