on this page
books of facts (12)
mysteries (7)
things to do (8)
tie-ins (8)
35 books
last updated February 2024
Books can be about anything — and information books don't need to be about subjects you might study in school.
The books on this page are just good fun — but that doesn't mean they don't tell the truth and aren't accurate.
If you've just got a few minutes, these are books you can dip in and out of to pick out odd, fascinating facts. Astound your friends and bore you family with 'Did you know....' conversations.
Space: 500 Questions and Answers (Arcturus, 2022)
Dinosaurs: 500 Questions and Answers (Arcturus, 2022)
Are Bananas Radioactive? (co-author; Arcturus, 2022)
500 Fantastic Facts About Inventions (Arcturus, 2019)
500 Fantastic Facts About Your Body (Arcturus, 2019)
501½ Horrible Facts (Arcturus, 2013)
This is half of 1001 Horrible Facts! (see below)
The Really Horrible Facts (Arcturus, 2013)
This is another version of 1001 Horrible Facts, with a quiz.
1,000 Facts You Just Won't Believe
(co-author; Parragon, 2013)
50 Amazing Things Kids Need to Know About Maths
(Quercus, 2011)
Revolting Records (Barrington Stoke, 2012)
Grim, Gross and Grisly (Barrington Stoke, 2010)
1001 Horrible Facts (Arcturus, 2006)
This book is my personal bestseller. I should make it a nice cake. If you don't want to read it in English, you can read it in Spanish, French, Danish, Swedish, Indonesian or Chinese. It's sold well over 100,000 copies in various languages
These are true books about things that often aren't true. Confused? Some people have been rather annoyed by these. Zombies on the Loose was banned in the USA, even though it says supernatural zombies don't exist!
If you really like vampires, try the Vampire Dawn series.
Wallace and Gromit's World of Mysteries (Chrysalis, 2004)
This book is amazing. It has a magic pointing finger device that lets you choose a question about a mystery and then it will magically point to the answer. I love it. It's one of my favourites of all my books.
Amazing Mysteries: Strange Places (Franklin Watts, 2009)
Some places are associated with mystery - strange things have happened, people have mysteriously disappeared...Is somethin odd going on?
Easy to read.
Amazing Mysteries: Messages from Beyond (Franklin Watts, 2009)
There are people who claim they can receive messages from the dead, or from the spirit world. What do you think?
Easy to read.
Amazing Mysteries: UFOs and Aliens (Franklin Watts, 2009)
Do you believe some people have seen UFOs, or even been abducted by aliens?
Easy to read.
Clash: Alien Abduction (TickTock, 2008)
Easy to read.
Clash: Zombies on the Loose (TickTock, 2008)
Easy to read.
Clash: Vampire Castle (TickTock, 2008)
Easy to read.
Do you want to do something else as well as read a book? These books have other activities to keep you entertained..
My Year Around the World (Kane/Miller, 2022)
Travel-inspired activities for every day of the year (but you can do them from your home)
Making History: Mars Rover (Silver Dolphin, 2024)
Build your own Perseverance rover. Note: does not go to Mars
My Year of Discovery (Kane/Miller, 2023)
Science/discovery-inspired activities for every day of the year; no lab needed
Making History: Titanic (Silver Dolphin, 2024)
Build your own Titanic. Note: does not sail across the ocean (but then, neither did the original)
My Year of Writing (Kane/Miller, 2021)
A writing activity for every day of the year — great for getting your brain into gear if you want to be a writer
Minecraft: Mega Metropolis (Mortimer, 2020)
Follow the instructions to build a metropolis in Minecraft (you do need to have Minecraft!)
Minecraft: Build a Theme Park (Mortimer, 2020)
Follow the instructions to build a theme park
Dinosaur Factivity (Paragon, 2015)
Dinosaurs facts and activities
In publisher-speak, these a licensed-character books. That means they are about (non-existent) characters that already exist. Get it? These are mostly activity books.
The original Angelina Ballerina books are actually illustrated by one of my good friends, Helen Craig. She lives down the road, which is quite a coincidence.
Minecraft: Mega Metropolis (Mortimer, 2020)
Minecraft: Build a Theme Park (Mortimer, 2020)
Disney Cuties Friendship Book (Ladybird, 2005)
Disney Cuties Best Friend (Ladybird, 2005)
Disney Cuties Things to Make and Do (Ladybird, 2005)
Wallace Gromit and the Were-Rabbit (Ladybird, 2005)
Wallace and Gromit's World of Mysteries (Chrysalis, 2004)
Angelina Ballerina Sticker Activity Book (Ladybird, 2004)
Do you want to have more fun? How about a story:
>> books for teen readers
>> books for medium-sized readers
>> books for smallish readers