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A Compendium of Curious Contraptions

A Guessing Game About History's Most Unusual Artefacts
By Anna Goldfield and Neon Squid
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Brief Description
A Compendium of Curious Contraptions by Anna Goldfield delves into the intriguing world of mystery items from the past. The book engages readers by providing a set of clues about each item's usage, inviting them to guess the purpose before they unfold a giant flap to... Read More
Format: Hardback
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A Compendium of Curious Contraptions

Guess what some of the most unusual objects from history were used for in this book by archaeologist Anna Goldfield!

An illustrated guide to some of the most bizarre objects from history by archaeologist Anna Goldfield, including a guessing game for kids to play!

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A Compendium of Curious Contraptions by Anna Goldfield delves into the intriguing world of mystery items from the past. The book engages readers by providing a set of clues about each item's usage, inviting them to guess the purpose before they unfold a giant flap to reveal the answer.

Among the fascinating inventions featured are Inuit snow goggles, ingeniously crafted to protect eyes from the blinding glare of the ice. The book also presents an ancient Chinese earthquake detector, adorned with several metal frogs.

Additionally, readers will discover the peculiar Royal fistula — an instrument used to perform delicate surgery on the posterior of King Louis XIV of France.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781916745032

Publisher: Priddy Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 18 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Priddy Books

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Paula Zamudio

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Width: 228.0mm

Height: 280.0mm

Weight: 680g

Pages: 64

Collections

Anna Goldfield Children's Books Children’s, Teenage and Educational Education & Reference Neon Squid Science & Nature

About the Author

Anna Goldfield is a podcaster, science writer, illustrator, and archaeologist. Anna works on the kids' science podcast Brains On! and presents the popular archaeology podcast The Dirt. Anna is also the author of The Mind-Blowing World of Extraordinary Competitions by Neon Squid.

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