Stuffed inside The Junk Drawer you'll discover a town where everything is backwards, a man who can't stop sneezing, and a kid who breaks everything he touches. In the first release of his Welcome Mat Book Series, Ryan Karten invites you to explore the silly, the meaningful, the fun, and the absurd in this collection of poems and stories.

Finalist for the 2015 AAAS / Subaru SB&F Excellence in Science Book exemplify outstanding and engaging science writing and illustration for young readers A children's instructional book on how to use readily available materials to turn the house into a science lab Physics teacher Bobby Mercer provides readers with more than 50 great hands-on experiments that can be performed for just pennies, or less. Turn a plastic cup into a pinhole camera using waxed paper, a rubber band, and a thumbtack. Build a swinging wave machine using a series of washers suspended on strings from a yardstick. Or construct your own planetarium from an empty potato chip canister, construction paper, scissors, and a pin. Each project has a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with illustrations, and a brief explanation of the scientific principle being demonstrated. Junk Drawer Physics also includes sidebars of fascinating physics facts, such as did you know the Eiffel Tower is six inches taller in summer than in winter because its steel structure expands in the heat? Educators and parents will find this title a handy resource to teach children about physics topics that include magnetism, electricity, force, motion, light, energy, sound, and more, and have fun at the same time.

Kids of all ages can use recycled and repurposed household items to complete exciting and green ecology experiments Junk Drawer Ecology is a hands-on guide to saving the planet. Fun, free science activities help kids of all ages learn about the science of our planet's ecology. The environment is changing every day, and we can help slow that change. Using free or low-cost things children already have around their homes, these activities are perfect to stimulate young brains. Readers will learn about the importance of the polar regions without leaving their communities, about new ways to cut our dependence on fossil fuels, about all forms of pollution, and how they can make a difference. Junk Drawer Ecology will give inquisitive kids many hours of fun and help them learn at the same time.

Filled with charming and evocative details, this is both a moving account of a middle-aged man's belated coming-of-age and a classic growing-up story for the Baby Boom generation. At turns hilarious and bittersweet, this novel is destined to be a bookshelf classic.

There's no need for expensive, high-tech materials to test your engineering skills—you probably have all you need in your home junk drawer. Each hands-on project in this book will challenge you to come up with a unique solution to a specific design problem. Construct a Pasta Bridge strong enough to support a heavy load, using only dry linguini and glue. Build a Marble Roller Coaster from recycled cardboard tubes, in which the marble "car" jumps a track to land safely at its final destination. Or design an Egg Catch device to safely capture a free-falling egg. Test yourself or use them for friendly competitions—who can come up with the best solution? These 25 open-ended design challenges can be performed for just pennies . . . or less. Each project has a suggested materials list, step-by-step instructions with illustrations for one possible solution, and suggestions on how to adapt each challenge for different ages and skill levels. Educators and parents will find this title a handy resource to teach children problem-solving skills and applied physics, all while having a lot of fun.

There's no need for expensive, high-tech lab equipment to conduct chemistry experiments—you probably have all you need in your home junk drawer. Turn an old LED flashlight into an Energy Drink Tester using aluminum foil and electrical tape. Mix cornstarch and water to make Non-Newtonian Goo. Use a 9-volt battery and thumbtacks to break water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Create edible Sweet Crystals from a saturated sugar solution. Or construct your own Three-Penny Battery from galvanized washers, pennies, vinegar, and scrap cardboard. Here are more than 50 great hands-on experiments that can be performed for just pennies . . . or less. Each project has a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with illustrations, and a brief explanation of the scientific principle being demonstrated—atoms, compounds, solutions, mixtures, reactions, thermodynamics, acids and bases, and more.

Is this book for you? Only if you are ready to look at all aspects of your life to release yourself from negative feelings and bad habits, and consequently manifest a happier and healthier life. You will learn the 4Rs (Recognize, Release, Replace, and Repeat) along with insight into other tools that can help make this process more fruitful and a little easier. The information contained in this book comes from my own personal and professional experience. I know the techniques work because I've seen them work in my life and in my clients' lives. We will look at problems and solutions from physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual perspectives so you can find the right balance of each component in your life. The information will be presented from spiritual and secular viewpoints because you can approach cleaning your mind's junk drawer either way, depending on your belief system. We know that the key to changing specific aspects of your life resides in you. The required concepts are simple, but making the necessary changes is not always easy and "quick fixes" are rarely permanent. The program presented in this book is not for anyone wanting a "quick fix" because the process requires a willingness to make any changes necessary to reach your desired goals. Once you put in the necessary time and effort, you will feel uplifted and know you are on the right path in life. At that point, and apparently, without effort, the right people and the right events will materialize in your life in a synchronistic manner. This will ultimately provide you with a functional "junk drawer of the mind" that will lead to your heart's desire and fulfillment. Deborah J. McKenna is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Certified Hypnotherapist, Board Certified Coach, and a Level II EMDR Specialist. She has over thirty years of experience in the counseling field, helping clients sift through the items in their mental "Junk Drawers" by using a variety of techniques to help them blaze new paths.