The Big Book of Useless Knowledge: 250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable Facts You Won’t Be Taught in School

An encyclopedia 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 pee as mouthwash? Did you know that going on a roller coaster 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!)

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.