The World's First Human Cannonball

Name: The World's First Human Cannonball
Price: 24.99 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9781800783737

and Other Incredible Jobs!

Mike Barfield, Franziska Höllbacher

$24.99

Paperback

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English

Templar Books
24 June 2025

General knowledge & trivia (Children's&YA); History & the past: general interest (Children's&YA); Work & world of industry Children's & Young Adult; People & places (Children's&YA); Cartoons & comic strips (Children's&YA)

Ever wondered what it would be like to be an Incan runner, carrying messages across the ancient Andes at lightning speed? Or perhaps a jester, keeping the royal courts in stitches with your hilarious antics? What about a stage farter? A poo collector? A body double? All these jobs are yours for the taking in history's line-up of the world's oddest jobs.

In this book, you'll encounter a colourful cast of characters who embraced the quirkiest of professions, including the legendary Harry Houdini who defied the laws of nature with his mind-bending magic tricks; Bessie Coleman, the first African-American stunt-pilot; Marie Tussaud who fled the French Revolution and came to London to create wax sculptures; Zazel, a Victorian daredevil who became the first human cannonball; and the amazing story of Samuel Sorensen Adams, inventor of many of the most famous joke shop gags such as sneezing powder, the handshake buzzer and the stink bomb.

This treasure trove of history's most peculiar jobs will leave you laughing, gasping, and wondering what job you'd have chosen in days gone by - and what jobs you might encounter in the future...

By: Mike Barfield
Illustrated by: Franziska Höllbacher
Imprint: Templar Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 280mm, Width: 216mm, Spine: 8mm
Weight: 452g
ISBN: 9781800783737
ISBN 10: 1800783736
Pages: 96
Publication Date: 24 June 2025
Recommended Age: From 7 to 9 years
Audience: Children/juvenile , Children / Juvenile
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Mike Barfield (Author) Mike Barfield is a writer, poet, performer, songwriter, ukulele player and award-winning cartoonist. He is the author and sometimes-illustrator of funny non-fiction and activity books for young people, with over 40 foreign publishers. His cartoons have been displayed in The Cartoon Museum, V&A Museum, Museum of London and beyond. His books have won many accolades including the BookTrust Blue Peter Book Award 2021 and the Royal Society Young People's Book Prize 2019. When Mike isn't busy writing and drawing, he performs shows and humour-filled workshops at schools, libraries and festivals across the country. Franziska Höllbacher (Illustrator) Franziska Höllbacher studied art and design at the FH-Salzburg and graduated in 2021. Even before graduating, she started working as an illustrator for children's books. Her favourite thing to draw is cats - inspired by her own cat, who often keeps her company at work. Close to Munich, she finds everything she needs for a happy life: mountains, nature and lots and lots of bookstores.

Reviews for The World's First Human Cannonball: and Other Incredible Jobs!

This colourful, fact-packed, and endlessly fascinating treasure trove of history's most peculiar jobs will leave you laughing, gasping, and wondering what job you'd have chosen in days gone by... and what jobs you might even encounter in the future. Just the job for your curious kids! -- Pam Norfolk * Lancashire Evening Post * We have loved dipping in and out of the book, opening it up and becoming absorbed in whatever page we turn to. It's brilliantly illustrated in vibrant colour tones, has comic-strip style pages galore and really brings to life the humour and fun of this alternative way of presenting facts to children. There is absolutely nothing not to love about this fabulous fact book and my children adore it. * Mini Travellers * Mike Barfield delivers another wide-ranging and well-researched non-fiction book in comic book form. * BooksForTopics 2025-2026 Year 3 Group List *