Jeff Szpirglas

illustrated by Dave Whamond

To err is human -- to read all about it is time well spent! They Did What?! holds up a carnival funhouse mirror to the human race, showing kids ages eight to 12 a hilarious reflection of foibles, flubs and foolishness.

Over the course of history, humanity has achieved great things: the Great Pyramids, space travel and the world wide web, to name a few. But why not celebrate our eccentricities, our famous bloopers, the bits that have been edited out for so long-such as pet rocks, air guitar contests and turkey-and-gravy soda! They Did What?! approaches history, science and culture from a new perspective, awarding the booby prize to history's most ridiculous fads, hoaxes, daredevils, advertising, urban legends, inventions and more.

They Did What?! features "What if?" scenarios that put a twist on certain behaviours to highlight their absurdity. "What if the latest fad were barracuda swallowing?", for example, would surely out-do those goldfish-swallowing college kids of the 1950s!

Full of quirky facts presented with lightning-fast wit and positive energy, They Did What?! is sure to be a wild-and educational-ride.

Ages 8-12.