Books in You Wouldn't Want to... series

Would you rather put your grubby clothes in the washing machine, or take them down to the river and beat the dirt out of them?This series takes readers (Ages 8-12) on a historical journey, examining how people coped in the past and how they developed ingenious ways to make life safer and less unpleasant. Each book features full-color cartoon-style illustrations and hilarious speech bubbles to heighten interest, making the series attractive even to reluctant readers.You're lucky to have the choice! Soaps and detergents are among the great benefits of modern life. They help to keep us comfortable and save us from smelling unpleasant, but above all, they help to protect us from the germs that cause infectious diseases. Learn how soap works, how it is made, and how much harder life would be if we really did have to live without it.

Growing up in Britain in the 1880s wasn't easy. For a young child in school the going is tough and the punishments are hard. Readers will follow the experiences of Victorian schoolchildren and will learn some top tips on survival at school. Suddenly modern-day school won't seem quite so bad, as readers discover that they really wouldn't want to be a Victorian schoolchild! This title in the popular You Wouldn't Want to Be series features full-colour illustrations which combine humour and accurate technical detail. Featuring brand new extra content including a timeline, fun facts, a list of 'top' characters and a map.

Experience what it was like to work on the Hoover Dam!This interactive series will enthrall young and reluctant readers (Ages 8-12) by making them part of the story, inviting them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history. In 1920s America, life is hard and many people are out of work. But you have the chance to work on a truly massive building project: a giant dam that will provide power and water for years to come, and prevent the devastating floods caused by the Colorado River.

Get ready . . . as a dashing young Christian knight you are about to travel thousands of miles to fight for your faith and defend the Holy Land. But can you make it as a Crusader?This interactive series will enthrall young and reluctant readers (Ages 8-12) by making them part of the story, inviting them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history. Find out all about the fate of the Christian crusaders, the might of the Ottoman empire, and the violent struggle to control the city of Jerusalem.

Marrying Henry VIII was not an easy option - tips provided in this book include 'think carefully before accepting his proposal' and 'give birth to a son, not a daughter'. Set against a backdrop of turbulence in the royal court, this book describes Henry and his many wives - what went right, what went wrong and what became of them all. You really wouldn't want to be married to Henry VIII! This title in the popular You Wouldn't Want to Be series features full-colour illustrations which combine humour and accurate technical detail. Featuring brand new extra content including a timeline, fun facts a list of 'top' characters and a map.

You are a sailor on the Spanish Armada and experiences the hardships and dangers at sea during the sixteenth century.This interactive series will enthrall young and reluctant readers (Ages 8-12) by making them part of the story, inviting them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history.

This fun and interesting, interactive series will enthrall young readers by making them a part of the story. Readers will become the main character and can revel in the gory, dark, horrific side of life throughout important moments in history. Humorous "Handy Hints" that relate directly to the text are provided on each spread. You (the reader) are a member of a group of nomadic hunter-gatherers living in the ice age, about 15,000 years ago. As a member of the group, you will get an insider's look at what life was like in the ice age as you follow the migratory routes of your prey--mammoths. Learn what tools and weapons are used for hunting, how you prepare for your hunt by holding a sacred ceremony, how to make shelter on the barren tundra, how to catch the woolly beasts, and how your journey has taken you from Asia and Europe to North America via a frozen land bridge. After reading this book there will be no doubt in your mind that this is definitely a dangerous beast you'd rather not encounter.

Learn about how simple machines enable practically everything around us to work.This series takes readers (Ages 8-12) on a historical journey, examining how people coped in the past and how they developed ingenious ways to make life safer and less unpleasant. Each book features full-color cartoon-style illustrations and hilarious speech bubbles to heighten interest, making the series attractive even to reluctant readers.Simple machines are around us all the time and we use them every day. You might not even think of them as machines. Many are built into complex (compound) machines-but the simple machine is still in there, doing its job. Learn about how simple machines enable practically everything around us to work, allowing us to travel in wheeled vehicles, lift very heavy objects, fix things together, and break things apart.