Illustration of a book cover titled "a stinky history of toilets," featuring a cartoon man in a suit sitting on a toilet, reading a newspaper. the cover is colorful with various playful fonts and designs.
Format: Hardback
Age Range: 5–8
Book Size: 280mm x 228mm
ISBN: 9781838993351
Pages: 48
Publication Date: 7 March 2024
Price: £10.99

A Stinky History of Toilets

Flush with Fun Facts and Disgusting Discoveries

You sit on it every day, but how much do you really know about your toilet? Discover the history of pooing and weeing in this frankly disgusting non-fiction book.

Authors Katie Nelson and Olivia Meikle have scoured the toilet bowls and sewers of the world to find out how humans have done their business throughout history. It’s time to get to the bottom of toilets! Prepare to be revolted by:

•  A fossilized Viking turd discovered by archaeologists
•  The Mongol catapult used to fling smelly poo at their enemies
•  The reason ancient Romans used wee to wash their clothes

Filled with poo facts and vomit-inducing stats, you will also learn how diseases like cholera spread through bad sanitation, why some of the earliest toilets had a tendency to explode, and how medieval kings and queens had special helpers to wipe their bums.

Featuring hilarious illustrations by Ella Kasperowicz, it’s a history book like no other!

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Author & Illustrator

Olivia Meikle and Katie Nelson are professors, podcasters—and sisters! Their first joint venture was a speculative enterprise where Katie (age 7) attempted to dig a hole to China, and Olivia (age 11) built a hospital for all the worms that came out of the hole. The project went so well that they’ve enjoyed working together ever since. Together they host the popular What’sHerName history podcast. Olivia and Katie are compulsive travellers who have lived on three continents, but now they teach History (Katie) and Women’s Studies (Olivia) on opposite sides of the Rocky Mountains in the USA. Between them, Katie and Olivia have two husbands, five kids, two parakeets, one schnauzer, one hermit crab, and approximately one zillion years of schooling.

Ella Kasperowicz, AKA Ellastrated, is a UK-based illustrator. She creates playful, relatable and modern information illustrations inspired by travel, mental health, and friendship. She loves making people laugh with her drawings.

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