Best Selling Books by Clive Gifford

''Gangs'' deals with an issue of increasing concern in towns and cities throughout the world. It explores how young people are lured into gang life; the links between gangs and the crime on our streets; and whether gangs can be a good force or are always a threat to society.

A brand-new look for a classic title, The Kingfisher Football Encyclopedia is the perfect gift book for the 2022 World Cup and beyond

This book looks at the causes of the Vietnam War and surrounding controversies.

How did ancient people make decisions? How do the people in power stay in power? Why did Karl Marx have to go without trousers? A Quick History of Politics answers these questions and more, taking a ride through time from plutocrats to people power. What do you think of when you hear "politics?" Is it grey-haired men in suits, shouting at each other in a weird room? Well, you’re partly right… but there’s also a whole lot of crazy stories and weird history in the political world. A Quick History of Politics takes a look at the silly side of government, big and small, throughout the ages, and also explains the important stuff, like suffrage, elections and getting your voice heard. You will discover: How the earliest tribes got by without a leader. How the first ever kings and queens ruled their people. When and how democracy was invented, and what it actually means. Why there are so many different ways of governing people, with no one right answer. What ‘gerrymandering’ means (no, we didn’t make that up). How empires, wars, and revolutions have shaped the world we live in today. How elections work today. How countries work together (and sometimes fall out). How young activists can use their voice to call for change, before they’re even old enough to vote! Plus, read about the women who used ju-jitsu to campaign for equal rights, the dictator who banned beards, and the rhino that became a council member in Brazil. Learn how the media can swing things in modern elections and get savvy to fake news. Test your knowhow with a quiz at the back of the book. Packed with facts and jokes and perfect for introducing young readers to big concepts, the latest in the Quick Histories series is here to make politics funny again.

What is the name of the first book in the Famous Five series? Who is NOT a member of the Five: Julian, Nora or Anne? What does George''s father do for a living? So you''ve read the books, maybe more than once, but how much do you really know about the adventures of the Famous Five? Revisit their best moments and meet all your favourite characters again in this brilliant quiz book.

Dicing with the world''s most powerful storms.

The Olympics is with us at all times, with its build up, with vast coverage given to the competitors in over 30 different winter and summer sports looking to make the Olympic team and qualify, and with significant and substantial media time given to Olympians and the Games throughout all yearsof the four year cycle. BL The mere announcement of the winners of the hosting of the 2012 Olympics drew globally, the 10th largest TV audience of 2005 in the world - an estimated 900 million.

In this exciting, photo-packed book, discover the world''s most amazing computers, from the first mechanical calculators to the latest groundbreaking designs. Step back in time to explore the history of computer gaming - from the first simple pong game to the latest high-tech console. Meet the pioneers of computer programming and gain an insight into how computers work. You can even become a coder yourself - follow step-by-step instructions to program your very own computer game!

Explorers are designed to appeal to all readers aged 6 to 8-those who are just starting to read alone and more confident readers who are beginning to exercise wider reading and cross-referencing skills. Lively, dramatic artwork scenes draw children into a subject and each scene is followed by a photographic information spread that gives a wealth of extra detail. As a fun extra element, the reader can follow themed links to access information on related topics. Things That Go is an exciting ride through all types of transport, from trucks and tractors to a city network of trains, trams and buses, to fast cars and aeroplanes and record-breaking vehicles.

Aimed at children inspired by Major Tim Peake''s adventures in space, this 32-page book looks at the history-making career of the man who, in 2016, became the first British astronaut to live and work on the International Space Station. During his time on board the ISS, Tim Peake carried out experiments, performed a crucial spacewalk and took some awesome photographs. He also found time to run a marathon, present an award to Adele and read a bedtime story to children listening 400km below him on Earth. Packed with amazing photographs, this book reveals how Major Tim''s fascination with flight and science began and how his career as an astronaut developed, documenting his inspirational journey into space.

Discover the biggest creatures to have roamed the Earth, past and present, from the outright biggest - such as the colossal blue whale and the dinosaur Argentinosaurus “The clear organization and bite-sized chunks of information make this quite accessible to young lovers of animals past and present....an appealing collection for readers who like superlatives.”—Kirkus Reviews “Even the most enthusiastic animal or dinosaur fan will find much new to wonder about in this well-illustrated informational book about weird and wonderful big beasts. Divided into three major sections— ‘Forests and Plains,’ ‘Rivers and Seas,’ and ‘Giants of Today’—....A solid purchase with broad appeal.”—School Library Journal In addition to the largest animals on Earth, discover species that grew to monstrous sizes compared to others of their kind, such as the giant kangaroos of Australia, otters the size of wolves, and Argentavis, a giant bird with a wingspan almost as long as a bus! You''ll meet the giants of the jungle, desert, swamp, sea, ice, and sky through vibrantly illustrated scenes of them in their natural habitats, and compare the size of these humongous creatures to humans. A gatefold spread unfolds to reveal a line-up of all the giants featured in the book, to scale, while a visual timeline shows when they roamed the Earth.

Know any good jokes? Here are 1001 (yes, one thousand and one!) awesome ones for the whole family to enjoy! Why did the empty sandwich go to the dentist? IT NEEDED A FILLING. What do you call a 20,000-year-old joke? PRE-HYSTERICAL. With jokes galore, puns, one-liners, visual gags, play on words and hilarious illustrations. Divided into sections such as ''Hilarious Holidays'', ''Teacher Titters'' and ''Football Funnies'', this book will never get old and will have your friends and whole family laughing. A hilarious bumper book that will captivate any child and spark an interest in reading - created by the bestselling author of Teenage Kicks and Eye Benders, and winner of the Royal Society Young People''s Book Prize.

Filled with over 100 exciting puzzles and quizzes for you to enjoy with friends, family or just by yourself!

Filled with bite-size facts and amazing original illustrations, the Small and Mighty range is the ultimate pocket-sized collectible series for young readers who can''t get enough of their favorite topic. In The Small and Mighty Book of Rainforests, readers will explore the colorful birds, dangerous animals, and vibrant plants found within the depths of the world''s rainforests. This pocket-sized book contains tons of easy-to-read information about rainforests alongside stunning illustrations, and is an ideal starting point to introduce children to the importance of conservation.

Why is a $5 note worth $5? Where do coins come from? What do banks actually do? All this and so much more is answered in A Quick History of Money, a crash course from cash cows to cryptocurrency. Money might sound all grown-up and serious, but the history of buying, selling, saving, and stealing is full of crazy stories and unbelievable facts. A Quick History of Money is here to show you the silly side, as well as give you the lowdown on the important stuff like interest, stocks and shares, and wealth inequality. You will discover: How the earliest societies got by without a penny in their pockets. Why gold gets all the glory. How the first banks started making money from money. Who invented the first banknotes and the concept of ‘fiat’ money. The craziest money-making cons of all time, from shaving coins to selling the Eiffel Tower… twice. How wealth is measured in the modern-day. History’s most expensive money mistakes. What money might look like in the future. Great tips for slick saving and smart spending. Plus, read about the world’s weirdest wonga, from the four-tonne stones used as currency on the island of Yap, to teacups and sea shells in ancient Asia, to beaver pelts in colonial Canada. Learn how hyperinflation leads to some mind-blowing money math, like the Bitcoins used to buy two pizzas in 2010 that would be worth over $90 million today. Test your knowhow with a quiz at the back of the book. Packed with facts and jokes, the latest in the Quick Histories series takes us on a chronological tour from cashless societies to… cashless societies, proving that while it might make the world go round, money sure is funny.

Following on from the incredible Invented by Animals and Built by Animals, Powered by Plants introduces us to the wondrous plants whose ingenious features have inspired innovations in human technology. Plants exhibit an incredible range of diversity in their shape, structures and how they interact with other living things and their environment. Some of this great diversity is being increasingly studied and copied, inspiring innovation in science, design, engineering, and technology. This book guides readers through a startling collection of fascinating vegetation, from towering cottonwood trees with wind power potential to slippery, meat-eating assassins of the plant world and the fast-growing aquatic plant which helps propel ships farther using less energy. Learn surprising applications and spin-offs of both exotic species including the world’s largest flower that generates its own heat and more familiar plants such as bamboo, coconut, and maize, all depicted in colourful, engaging fashion. Colourful and lively illustrations and pop-out fact boxes bring the science in this book to life, and Powered by Plants shows us how much we can learn from studyin the myriad magnificence of the natural world. Other fascinating books in this series are Built by Animals and Invented by Animals.

Every country, company and military force have information they strive to keep secret. This information is highly prized by others and can be the difference between success or failure in business, between victory or defeat in battle and whether a government or ruler stays in power or is toppled. This information is known as intelligence, and comes in many different forms. It can be military details about troops, their location and planned movements. It can be political secrets about what alliances one nation intends forming with others. It can also be technical secrets such as details of scientific research or the workings of a new weapon.

Four amazing chapters in The Animal Book: In Prehistoric Giants, meet the mega monsters that have ruled our planet throughout history. Awesome Animals shows how many creatures go to extremes to rise above the rest in the fight for survival. Find out which animals are prepared to fight tooth and claw when it comes to the crunch, with weapons ranging from lethal toxins to electro-senses in Deadly Nature. Finally, Amazing Nature takes a look at the breathtaking drama of nature''s spectacular events, such as elephant processions.

A lift-the-flap book provides information about airports and air travel, explaining where luggage goes after check-in, how planes fly, and what happens in the control tower.

Addressing the issue of artifical intelligence, this book explores what it is, what it can do for us and whether we should be worried about it. Scientists are now building robots which can think. If we build machines that can learn, rather than just take instructions, what are the implications?

The Kingfisher Football Encyclopedia captures the triumph and despair of pivotal moments in world football. Dramatic full-spread photos and digital artworks re-create famous moves and goals, while each chapter includes links to stable websites, providing a valuable access point to databases of players, international results and club histories.

In the ancient world, philosopher Archimedes designed new machines for farming. During the Renaissance, artist Leonardo da Vinci sketched his ideas for wondrous flying machines. Scientist James Watt provided ideas that would power the Industrial Revolution, while American inventor Thomas Edison patented more than 1000 inventions that would shape modern life, including the movie camera and the electric light bulb. Today''s inventors still explore ideas for new and clever technology, producing miniature machines that we can only see under a microscope. Step inside the world of invention and see where it might take us next . . .

A one-stop guide to surviving in the wild, whether you''re lost at sea, stuck up a mountain, or stranded in the rain forest. Find out the key rules to survival, such as how to find shelter and signal for help, and discover the animals you might encounter while you''re there!

Optical Illusions is a mind-bending introduction to the science of optical illusions, packed with clearly presented, hands-on projects and experiments for the reader to make and do. Combining innovative paper engineering, off-the-page fun and the use of smartphone cameras, this accessible introduction also gives an insight into the neuroscience behind how our brains and our eyes interact. Sure to enthrall and engage amateur psychologists and makers alike.

Describes all kinds of racing cars.

Would you rather row a Roman vessel or be a chariot racer? Eat stuffed dormice or parrot heads? Only you can decide!

Filled with over 150 brain-busting puzzles and quizzes – fully illustrated throughout!

Math + history + jokes - boring bits = A Quick History of Math. This book begins around 43,000 years ago with a notched baboon leg, the Lebombo bone (the very first mathematical object in the world) and rushes us past Hindu numerals and the invention of zero, via Pythagoras, Pascal and probability, right up to the present day, with big data and the maths that rules our digital lives. Geometri-cool! You will discover: How to count on your fingers (there are more ways than you might think!) Why we have 60 seconds in a minute (hint: it’s to do with the ancient Babylonians) How to count like an Egyptian (using hieroglyphs) Why it’s hip to be square using square numbers A Pythagorean party trick The naked truth of Archimedes’ bath time mathematics How to do matha-magic with magic squares …and much more. In chronological order from pre-history to present day, this is the story of maths itself. It’s 43,000 years of human mathematical endeavor squeezed into one book for your reading pleasure. Illustrated with funny cartoons and packed with fascinating facts, you’ll be laughing and learning how to be a better mathematician.

Would you rather be in Valhalla or Ragnarök? Be called Erik Bloodaxe or Thorfinn Skullsplitter? Only YOU can decide!

Would you rather go the theatre in ancient Greece or go to a festival? Would you rather face a cyclops or sirens? Only you can decide!

This guide to the fictional world of the movie--starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, set for release by New Line Cinema on December 7--focuses on the richness of the people, creatures, daemons, and inventions that populate its startling landscape. Includes a press-out golden compass and sticker sheet. Consumable.

Would you rather wipe Henry VIII’s bottom for him or be one of his wives? Would you rather act in a Tudor play or take part in a jousting match? Only you can decide!

Strap in for a rip-roaring ride through the history of the universe, starting with the Big Bang, and bringing us right up to present day. What was the universe like when it was a few seconds old? How had it changed by its millionth birthday? And when did time even start, for that matter?! The story of the last 13.8 billion years in one handy volume, you can read about the start of stars, the growth of galaxies and the production of planets. Plus, there are some great dad jokes. Hold on tight... Read the story of how the universe developed, and discover: In the beginning there was... what exactly? What was the beginning of the universe actually like? Some suns have just got that star quality... but which stars are really hot stuff? Who’s who in the galactic zoo? There are several different types of galaxy in the universe. How do they form? The tragic death of the star – how do stars die, and why? What’s blacker than black… a black hole! Peek into the future – what will the universe be like in the next few billion years? How do we even know this stuff? Read about the scientists who are figuring it all out. Packed with fun cartoons and facts, A Quick History of the Universe tackles the biggest topic in the universe – literally – in chronological order. Before you know it, you’ll be an expert on the history of space, the universe and everything.

Hairy bears under the stairs and a dinosaur at the door - just some of the surprises lurking within this fun-filled collection of phonic stories. The stories are designed to help beginner readers grasp the important link between sounds and the letters that represent them.