Learn how this son of German immigrants from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, turned his small food-packaging company into a booming business known for its fair treatment of workers and pioneering safe food preparation standards. This American success story follows Heinz from his early days as a pickle and vinegar merchant in the 1800s to the name behind the nation's number-one brand of ketchup. The name that's on everyone's lips is now part of the Who Was? series.

Find out how Dracula--a smooth-talking count with a dark secret--became the infamous creature we all know and fear.

From appearances in films and animated features to interpretations as a Muppet and breakfast cereal mascot, Dracula has been the inspiration for many other fictional vampires and is now an established figure in pop culture.

Created by Bram Stoker in his 1897 Gothic horror novel, Count Dracula is a nobleman who uses his powers as a vampire to dominate his victims. Even though Dracula didn't succeed in the novel, the fictional character has lived on to dominate the real world as one of its most popular supernatural villains.

Author Michael Burgan explores Dracula's mysterious origins in the historical figures who might have shaped the character, as well as the films and actors that cemented Dracula's place in cinematic history.

Vikings are known for being fierce warriors. But did you know that they used tug-of-war to train for battle--and that the losing team was pulled into a pit of fire?

Europe was ravaged by the plague during the Middle Ages. But did you know that the secret ingredient in one cure concocted by medieval doctors was ... dragons' blood?!

Go beyond the Middle Ages of Europe to explore great empires around the globe, including Ottoman, Shona, Aztec, and the Song dynasty. From Joan of Arc to Genghis Khan, incredible inventions to eyebrow-raising medieval medicines, you'll know it all by the time you finish this book.

Packed with important historical information along with the wackiest and weirdest facts ever about the Middle Ages!


Complete your collection with:
Weird But True Know-It-All U.S. Presidents
Weird But True Know-It-All Greek Mythology
Weird But True Know-It-All Ancient Egypt

Weird But True Know-It-All Rocks and Minerals

In 1985, Oceanographer Bob Ballard went searching for the most famous shipwreck of all time. Explorers, including Ballard, had been looking for the ship for years without luck. But on this voyage, the team had Argo, a deep-sea vehicle with a remote-controlled camera to help with the search. For days, the team pulled Argo across the ocean floor and found nothing. They were beginning to lose hope. Then, on September 1, something appeared on their video screen. It was a piece of the Titanic! Find out what happened next in Rediscovering the Titanic.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

On the night of April 14-15, 1912, the largest and most luxurious ship ever built hit an iceberg and sunk on her maiden voyage. More than 100 years later, the Titanic continues to fascinate. How did this supposedly unsinkable ship meet its icy fate? Who were the people who sailed on the ship, and what was that experience like before, during, and after the disaster? What did explorers discover in 1985 when they found the sunken ship at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean? Featuring historical imagery, first-hand accounts, and lively text, the four titles in this series will answer all these questions... and more.

Born in 551 BC, Confucius was a young man when he set his heart and mind on learning as much as he could. By his thirties, he'd become a brilliant teacher who shared his knowledge of several subjects, including arithmetic, history, and poetry, with his students. Confucius wanted to make sure that everyone in China had access to an education and devoted his whole life to learning and teaching so he could transform and improve society.

His lessons--now known as Confucianism--are practiced by over six million people in the world. They focus on loving humanity, worshiping ancestors, respecting elders, and self-discipline. Confucianism has become the system that governs a total way of life in East Asia.

In 2008, John McCain ran for president against Barack Obama, becoming a well-known national figure. But his presidential campaign was only one of the many inspirational things John accomplished in his lifetime! John was a decorated member of the US Navy who survived being a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He served as an Arizona senator for thirty years, right up until his passing in 2018. Learn all about John McCain and his life as politician who always tried to work across the aisle and to treat people fairly in this book about the maverick patriot.

The coronavirus disease COVID-19 emerged in November 2019. By March 2020, cities all around the world closed schools, offices, restaurants and other public spaces deemed non-essential in an attempt to contain the fast-spreading virus. People struggled to follow government orders, stay indoors, and limit contact with others.
But the virus that caused one of the world's deadliest pandemics eventually killed over five million people worldwide. This is the story of how COVID-19 changed the world seemingly overnight, and forever.

Are you ready for some of the most exciting, death-defying escape stories ever told? Perfect for fans of the I Survived series, the first installment in a brand-new, edge-of-your-seat series based on real events

In spring 1942, Royal Air Force pilot Bill Ash's plane was shot down by Germans, who captured and eventually brought him to Stalag Luft III, a notorious camp for prisoners of war. The Germans boasted that the camp--which was isolated, heavily guarded, and surrounded by wire fences--was escape proof.

But Ash was ready to prove them wrong. He, along with other POWs, would dig tunnels, hide in shower drains, or jump on trucks--all in the name of freedom. Because resisting the Germans was their mission, and escaping was their duty.

From reluctant reader to total bookworm, each book in this page-turning series--featuring fascinating bonus content and captivating illustrations--will leave you excited for the next adventure