By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: October 19, 2009
Ripley’s Believe It or Not: Seeing Is Believing
Reading Level: Ages 9-99
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Ripley Publishing; Ill edition (August 4, 2009)
Language: English
What do you want to know? What don’t you want to know? What interests you? What doesn’t interest you? Not sure? Here’s a list of topics to get you started:
- Strange But True
- Extreme Earth
- Incredible Feats
- Unusual Customs
- Crazy Creatures
- Travel Tales
- Fantastic Food
- Body Oddity
- Strange Sites
- Artistic License
- Amazing Science
- Beyond Belief
I think it’s safe to say, without even reading this book, you have spotted a topic of interest. That is what’s so great about Ripley’s Believe It or Not, there is certainly something for everyone — kids and adults alike! With it’s shiny, blue hardcover, it’s the perfect coffee table book for the adult who enjoys something a little different, or perfect for the table next to the bean bag in a teenagers room.
Here is a glimpse at some of the stuff you can expect:
- The amusing: Anthony Lason … , sang karaoke songs for more than 39 hours straight in June 2008.
- The interesting: Each year more than 14,000 tons of cosmic dust fall to earth … .
- The outstanding: In 1934, W.M. Keefe from New London, Connecticut, was able to touch his toes and then reach down a further 10in (25cm), despite being 73 years old.
- The fascinating: A newly discovered lake at the south pole of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is bigger than Lake Ontario. …the lake is filled mostly with methane and ethane, … liquids on the ice-cold surface of Titan.
- The awful: It is estimated that a foot separated from a drowned body could travel by strong currents around 1,000 mi (1,600 km) before reaching land.
- The sad: An elephant was hunted in 2006, after a two-year reign of terror in which he destroyed hundreds of homes and killed 27 people.
- The amazing: In a reversal of the Evel Knievel classic motorcycle jump over buses, fearless stunt driver Steve Hudis soared 109 ft (33m) in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a school bus … , … clearing 15 motorcycles before crash-landing and emerging unscathed.
I could go on-and-on, but the truth is that there are thousands of these hard-to-believe pocket sized stories to discover, along with startling–and some pretty gross–color images. Each one is certainly a conversation starter. A fantastic gift book for the hard-to-buy-for!
Publisher’s synopsis: This all new 6th title in the best selling Ripley’s Believe It or Not! annual series, is a compendium of incredible bizarre facts, stories, interviews and features all presented in a stunning bright new design.
This year’s book also features icons that guide readers to astounding video clips on our new fully-integrated website, where they can see some of our subjects in action. Also, a dramatic eight-page gatefold section presents some extraordinary performers of the past, and additional black and white Ripley archive photographs feature throughout the book.
Be amazed at the dentist with no arms, the snake that swallowed a wallaby, an underwater sculptor and a four-eared cat! For the legions of dedicated Ripley’s fans, and anyone else on the planet who loves unbelievable facts and jaw-dropping images, the latest annual in this successful series is a feast of delights.
Add this book to your collection: Ripley’s Believe It or Not: Seeing Is Believing