History’s Most Epic Fibs!

Fibbing – telling lies, big and small – is part of being human.

Some fibs – like your parents saying “if the wind changes, you’ll stay like that” when you’re pulling a funny face – are well-intentioned. But some fibs are quite damaging. How can we tell the difference, and what are some of history’s biggest fibs? 

Comedian, writer, and podcast host Athena Kugblenu takes readers through a number of small and not-so-small fibs throughout history, from the wrong idea that women’s dresses don’t need pockets, to the very large and worrying fib circulating the internet that seems to show Harriet Tubman minimising the impact of slavery on its victims. 

The book examines fake news and how lies spread on the internet, and teaches children how we can ask questions about information that we are presented with – and not believe everything we read or hear.

There’s a useful “fib-o-meter” at the end of each example, showing that some lies are more of a problem than others, and the pages are laid out with clear text and fun illustrations throughout, keeping the tone light while investigating some serious subjects. A fascinating, fun and essential read.