The Big Book of Useless Knowledge
250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable Facts You Won't Be Taught in School
Published on 16. May 2024
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-1-83899-363-4 (ISBN)
Description
An encyclopaedia of mind-bogglingly random facts that will lodge in your brain and refuse to leave.
Heard about the lizard that shoots blood from its eyes? Or the ancient Romans who used wee as mouthwash? Did you know that going on a rollercoaster can cure kidney stones?
In this compendium of obscure facts readers will be treated to baffling knowledge they would never learn at school. Broken into chapters including geography, space, and history, a team of experts has scoured the world to find the silliest and most pointless facts that it has to offer.
Accompanied by hilarious illustrations, kids will meet the prehistoric camel with no humps, the tortoises that went to the Moon (and came back again), and dancing cave people. They will learn crucial life skills like how to walk on custard and how to unboil an egg by spinning it 5,000 times a minute. And they will read the heartwarming story of a court jester called Roland the Farter - can you guess what his special skill was?
(SPOILER: the information in this book isn't really useless. It will inspire, shock, and amuse the reader - and maybe spark an interest that will last a lifetime. It just won't help you with any exams!)
Heard about the lizard that shoots blood from its eyes? Or the ancient Romans who used wee as mouthwash? Did you know that going on a rollercoaster can cure kidney stones?
In this compendium of obscure facts readers will be treated to baffling knowledge they would never learn at school. Broken into chapters including geography, space, and history, a team of experts has scoured the world to find the silliest and most pointless facts that it has to offer.
Accompanied by hilarious illustrations, kids will meet the prehistoric camel with no humps, the tortoises that went to the Moon (and came back again), and dancing cave people. They will learn crucial life skills like how to walk on custard and how to unboil an egg by spinning it 5,000 times a minute. And they will read the heartwarming story of a court jester called Roland the Farter - can you guess what his special skill was?
(SPOILER: the information in this book isn't really useless. It will inspire, shock, and amuse the reader - and maybe spark an interest that will last a lifetime. It just won't help you with any exams!)
Reviews / Votes
A hefty helping of need-to-know information, from gross nature facts to how tardigrades, tortoises, and toilets function in space. The barrage of artfully selected, must-share revelations that follow will keep even casual browsers riveted. * Kirkus Reviews * There are plenty of brilliant, encyclopaedic, fact books on the market. The Big Book of Useless Knowledge is a great addition, expanding upon each fact, explaining it further in an accessible and entertaining style. * Armadillo Magazine *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Priddy Books
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 8 to 12 years
Dimensions
Height: 262 mm
Width: 222 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
1066 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83899-363-4 (9781838993634)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Written by experts from around the globe including paleontologist Yara Haridy, geologist Lucia Perez-Diaz, astrophysicist Sophie Allan, biologist Brittney G. Borowiec, chemist Victoria Atkinson, and archaeologist Anna Goldfield.
Hannah Li is an award-winning illustrator based in New York. With a background in fine arts, Hannah's illustrations often exhibit a unique blend of traditional techniques and digital art.
Alexander Mostov is a Seattle-based illustrator who makes playful, inclusive illustrations for everything from picture books to apps. His books include The Secret Life of Spies and Nicola Tesla: Little People, Big Dreams.
Liz Kay is a British illustrator whose books include The History of Everywhere and My Met Sticker Collection.
Hannah Li is an award-winning illustrator based in New York. With a background in fine arts, Hannah's illustrations often exhibit a unique blend of traditional techniques and digital art.
Alexander Mostov is a Seattle-based illustrator who makes playful, inclusive illustrations for everything from picture books to apps. His books include The Secret Life of Spies and Nicola Tesla: Little People, Big Dreams.
Liz Kay is a British illustrator whose books include The History of Everywhere and My Met Sticker Collection.