Boys into Books

The trivia buff’s ultimate book of lists; over 600 on everything imaginable, well illustrated and with full colour photos. Where the Guinness Book of Records presents only one of something this book offers a list of the 10 best, worst, biggest, strangest... Plenty here to pore over, memorise and amaze your friends with.

A mindblowing series which makes the impossible seem possible, looking at all kinds of unusual phenomena from parallel worlds to lost civilisations.

This book looks into vast capabilities of the human mind; time travel, telepathy, hypnosis, mind control, out of body experiences, illusions and even why surgeons can slice into your brain without you feeling a thing. An astonishing, make-you-stop-and-think series to make you question everything you’ve been taught at school.

A mindboggling but highly accessible popular science book offering answers to all the questions you’ve ever wanted to ask, and some you’ve never even thought of, about the planet we live on. Bryson manages to cut through the controversy surrounding vast topics like evolution and the origins of the universe, making science fascinating and fun.

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/billbryson/

All kinds of breathtaking, awe-inspiring machines with a definite wow factor, all lovingly described and explained by someone who knows. From zeppelin airships to battleships and space shuttles, Clarkson looks at the machines and tells the stories of the inventors, geniuses and eccentrics who created them.

He injects a fair selection of random but fascinating and proven trivia too; who would win if Superman, James Bond and Terminator had a fight and the safest place to be in a nuclear war. Clarkson’s infectious enthusiasm and passion for his subject shines through, making it an easy book to race through and return to time and time again.

http://www.topgear.com/

Containing over 1500 new and updated records and contemporary categories such as highest computer games scores and most downloaded podcast, this is still the definitive trivia guide and works hard to stay ahead of the rest. With 100% new photographs, illustrative fold-outs, interactive spreads of records you can try yourself at home and a huge sport reference section this is definitely the one boys keep coming back to and want to keep reading. No library, home, school or classroom can have enough copies.

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/

Bursting with fun things to make, do, learn and think about this is the ultimate boy’s handbook. From being a spy to starring on TV, learning to juggle and make origami models this is an inspired and inspiring checklist of ideas; some easy to achieve, some less attainable. Great for starting discussions about achievements, experiences and ambitions.

http://www.101thingstodo.co.uk/

Brilliantly explained, short and snappy answers to the 101 tricky questions you’ve always wanted to ask and probably some you haven’t even thought of yet. Small in format, big in ideas this is a superbly illustrated book to dip in and out of and to find something new in every time.

http://www.101thingstodo.co.uk/

An all-new, mindboggling collection of the weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful individuals on planet earth, all with bizarre habits and hobbies. Superbly documented in full colour photographs, captions and snappy text box descriptions this is cool and quirky reading, easy to pick up, impossible to put down, which quickly acquires a huge fanbase.

A retro-style book which every boy has been waiting for, a book which shows readers how to be the best at everything, gives them the confidence to have a go and believe they can do anything. Simple, informative and attractively illustrated it covers every eventuality – from annoying brothers and sisters to bending it like Beckham and being the best in different languages, from hypnotizing a chicken to performing maths magic, playing a toilet roll and winning at computer games. Guaranteed to keep readers quiet for hours you’ll need to buy several copies – there’s no way they’ll share this one with their friends!

This quirky little book contains the answers to some of life’s most baffling questions. Taken from the Last Word column in New Scientist magazine it offers a range of reader responses to some very tricky questions; everything from why grilled cheese goes stringy to why dogs’ noses are black and why your knuckles crack. Entertaining and informative.

http://www.newscientist.com/

Discover the shocking truth about the fast food industry. These are the inside truths Ronald McDonald doesn’t want you to know; how fast food started, what really goes on in the slaughterhouses, labs and factories, the extent of global advertising and merchandising, the reach into schools, how the outlet workers are exploited and the effect on the environment, health and childhood obesity. Lively in tone, extensively researched and with quotes from young people this is an eye-opening, stomach-churning yet matter of fact presentation of the facts which lets readers make up their own minds on the issue.

http://www.chewonthis.org.uk/

An impossible to resist, intelligent and hilariously illustrated blend of wacky words, bizarre facts, jokes and trivia about all the things people are really interested in; animals, music, monsters, maths, sport, superstitions, baddies, bananas, costs, catchphrases, rude words, TV and loads more besides. Striking just the right balance between sensible and silly this is a must-have book for all lovers of lists.

http://www.andyseed.com/

A handy, bright yellow, smaller than A5 size compendium of fascinating facts and totally useless trivia, randomly arranged in categories covering everything from eccentric events to daft labels, from potatoes to people who used to be waiters, from wombats to bungee jumpers. Simply written and made even more accessible with a huge variety of comic line drawings throughout, boys’ brains hoover up lists like these.