An Epic History of Failure
A blundering book full of fun facts and mindless mishaps
Neon Squid author Natalie Younger author Ella Kasperowicz illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Priddy Books
Published:19th Feb '26
Should be back in stock very soon

Take an educational and entertaining tour through history, visiting some of humankind's silliest decisions and the lessons we've learned (or not) from them.
No one takes pride in it, but it is funny to see others fail. Take an educational and entertaining tour through history with An Epic History of Failure by Natalie Younger, visiting some of humankind's silliest decisions and the lessons we've learned (or not) from them.
From the sinking of the HMS Titanic, to the many, MANY missteps of Christopher Columbus, to the wonky construction of the Tower of Pisa, young readers will discover some of the epic fails that have changed our world or simply left us wondering "what were they thinking?!".
Everybody gets things wrong sometimes and this book demonstrates how we can often learn something from failure – or as Thomas Edison put it: “I’ve not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Each tale is accompanied by wacky illustrations from Ella Kasperowicz, ideal for engaging reluctant readers.
This is the third title in Neon Squid's Wacky Histories series, following A Stinky History of Toilets and A Sick History of Medicine, and is perfect for curious kids with a fondness for the darker side of history.
With a timeless topic, a concise writing style, and bright, colorful illustrations, this informative and sometimes surprising book will please many readers, particularly history fans, who will enjoy sharing their favorite selections with friends. * Booklist *
This book is fabulous... it is sure to delight young history fans... written in a way that both amuses and entertains. The book is beautifully illustrated throughout and has a nice introduction which basically tells children why it’s OK to fail and how to learn from mistakes. * Associated Press *
ISBN: 9781916745124
Dimensions: 289mm x 236mm x 10mm
Weight: 490g
48 pages