Humans have always loved to play games, from dice games in ancient Iran 5,000 years ago to chess and cards in the Middle Ages. Today, fanaticism over console games is at an all-time high, with players arguing passionately why one console is better than another. Learn about the many uses and positive effects of video games: how they can be a teaching aid, exercise our bodies and brains, stimulate our creativity, and bring people together. You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Gaming! is part of a brand-new science and technology strand within the internationally acclaimed You Wouldn’t Want to Be series. The clear, engaging text and humorous illustrations bring the subject to life and stimulate young readers' curiosity about the world around them. Specially commissioned cartoon-style illustrations in full colour make these books attractive and accessible even to reluctant readers. Information is conveyed through captions, labels and humorous speech bubbles in addition to the main text. Illustrated sidebars headed ‘How It Works’, ‘Top Tip’ or ‘You Can Do It’ supply more facts, describe simple, safe experiments, or steps that readers can take to help make the world a better place. Each volume includes a timeline and a list of ‘Did You Know?’ facts.

Robots are machines that can be programmed to carry out a series of complex actions automatically or under the control of an operator. They come in all shapes and sizes, from mechanical arms and driverless vehicles to walking, talking, artificial people. Learn about how robots are helping humanity by doing jobs that are too dangerous for people, exploring places that humans cannot reach, and becoming our helpers and companions. You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Robots! is part of a brand-new science and technology strand within the internationally acclaimed You Wouldn’t Want to Be series. The clear, engaging text and humorous illustrations bring the subject to life and stimulate young readers' curiosity about the world around them. Specially commissioned cartoon-style illustrations in full colour make these books attractive and accessible even to reluctant readers. Information is conveyed through captions, labels and humorous speech bubbles in addition to the main text. Illustrated sidebars headed ‘How It Works’, ‘Top Tip’ or ‘You Can Do It’ supply more facts, describe simple, safe experiments, or steps that readers can take to help make the world a better place. Each volume includes a timeline and a list of ‘Did You Know?’ facts.

The Internet has become one of the most important inventions in our daily lives, revolutionising everything from the way businesses work to the friendships people share. This book tells the story of the internet, from its early development to the creation of the World Wide Web, and today's broadband culture. You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without the Internet! is part of a brand-new science and technology strand within the internationally acclaimed You Wouldn’t Want to Be series. The clear, engaging text and humorous illustrations bring the subject to life and stimulate young readers' curiosity about the world around them. Specially commissioned cartoon-style illustrations in full colour make these books attractive and accessible even to reluctant readers. Information is conveyed through captions, labels and humorous speech bubbles in addition to the main text. Illustrated sidebars headed ‘How It Works’, ‘Top Tip’ or ‘You Can Do It’ supply more facts, describe simple, safe experiments, or steps that readers can take to help make the world a better place. Each volume includes a timeline and a list of ‘Did You Know?’ facts.

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. You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Simple Machines! is part of a brand-new science and technology strand within the internationally acclaimed You Wouldn’t Want to Be series. The clear, engaging text and humorous illustrations bring the subject to life and stimulate young readers' curiosity about the world around them. Specially commissioned cartoon-style illustrations in full colour make these books attractive and accessible even to reluctant readers. Information is conveyed through captions, labels and humorous speech bubbles in addition to the main text. Illustrated sidebars headed ‘How It Works’, ‘Top Tip’ or ‘You Can Do It’ supply more facts, describe simple, safe experiments, or steps that readers can take to help make the world a better place. Each volume includes a timeline and a list of ‘Did You Know?’ facts.

The year is 1842, and you have been taken from your mother in London to work in a cotton mill in smoky Manchester. The work is hard and dangerous: you are likely to go deaf and suffer from lung disease, and you could easily lose limbs. Is there no hope for you? Will things ever get better? Will you see your mother again? This title in the best-selling children’s history series, You Wouldn't Want To…, features full-colour illustrations which combine humour and accurate technical detail and a narrative approach placing readers at the centre of the history, encouraging them to become emotionally-involved with the characters and aiding their understanding of what life would have been like working in a Victorian mill. Informative captions, a complete glossary and an index make this title an ideal introduction to the conventions of information books for young readers. It is an ideal text for Key Stage 2 shared and guided reading and helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14.

Get ready… as the captain of a Spanish treasure ship sailing in the Spanish Main, you're about to get captured as a pirate's prisoner! Pirates have many ingenious tortures, and once they have got what they want from you, the best you can hope for is to be marooned on an island. This title in the best-selling children’s history series, You Wouldn't Want To…, features full-colour illustrations which combine humour and accurate technical detail and a narrative approach placing reaworld warders at the centre of the history, encouraging them to become emotionally-involved with the characters and aiding their understanding of what life would have been like as a pirate’s prisoner. Informative captions, a complete glossary and an index make this title an ideal introduction to the conventions of information books for young readers. It is an ideal text for Key Stage 2 shared and guided reading and helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14.

You are a hunter following the trail of mammoths as they cross a vast, treeless wilderness. You camp where your people have always sheltered. You leave your mark on the walls of caves. You fight your enemies. You kill mammoths. Life is hard and can be short. If you are brave and strong, you will be successful. If you are not, then you wouldn’t want to be an Ice Age mammoth hunter! This title in the best-selling children’s history series, You Wouldn't Want To…, features full-colour illustrations which combine humour and accurate technical detail and a narrative approach placing readers at the centre of the history, encouraging them to become emotionally-involved with the characters and aiding their understanding of what life would have been like as a Stone Age mammoth hunter. Informative captions, a complete glossary and an index make this title an ideal introduction to the conventions of information books for young readers. It is an ideal text for Key Stage 2 shared and guided reading and helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14.