Ripley's Believe It or Not! Wild and wacky edition 2017 by Ripley's Entertainment Inc.

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Scholastic, 2916. ISBN 9781338113242
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Crazy facts. Humour. The latest edition of Ripley's believe it or not looks at crazy facts, and really weird wonders of the world. It is sure to be an absolute winner with people of all ages who like to read about strange and wonderful things and often get a laugh or a sense of amazement about what goes on in the world. The cover with its vivid face set in a lettuce leaf and with a pickle protruding from the mouth will be enough to entice the reader to open up the book and see what is inside.
There is an easy to read and enticing Contents page, with the headings Extra-ODD-inary Legacy, Entertaining Enterprises, Bend over backwards, Bizarre World, Funky Fauna, Cross your fingers, and Culture Collection. An index is also available for those who want to go back to a particular occurrence. The Extra-ODD-inary Legacy gives an overview of the Ripley world and how it began, with pictures of the different spots around the world where Ripley worlds can be found. The reader is then off to read about the wonderful things that have been gathered together. I was particularly intrigued by the little girl who invented ZolliPops, tooth friendly treats and the creation of cardboard shoes. The picture of a giant African tortoise being taken for a walk, dressed in a pink outfit also brought a smile to my face while the photo of the elephant selfie was amazing.
Interspersed throughout the book are quizzes, which when answered will send the reader off to sections that may interest them, another way of browsing according to what the reader may want to read. The photos are so vivid and interesting that they make the reader want to read the captions and find out about the wild and wacky things that are going.
This will appeal not only to reluctant readers but anyone who picks it up and would make a great addition to a classroom or library and will give individuals the chance to talk about strange things.
Pat Pledger

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