Review by Booklist Review
Not many of us can lift 18 men (totaling 4,336 pounds!) like Canadian Louis Cyr did in 1895, or multiply two 13-digit numbers in 28 seconds like India's Shakuntala Devi did in 1980. What makes these individuals so special? This fascinating informational book introduces nine amazing abilities, from ultra-long-distance runners and contortionists to deep-sea free divers, who don't carry breathing equipment, and memory athletes with highly superior autobiographical memory, and the science behind them all. After profiling an individual with one of these amazing abilities, each chapter uses a How It's Done! section to describe these feats. For example, people who are gifted at math show differences in their brains, such as a more developed right side. But this doesn't mean the rest of us can't improve our math skills, flexibility, or running endurance. The text offers tips on maximizing our bodies' abilities, with Hazard Alert! reminders on how to stay safe in the process. Plenty of visuals and sidebars complement this high-interest topic, sure to pique the curiosity of reluctant readers.--Angela Leeper Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-This slim volume delves into nine types of extreme human abilities of the body and mind. Exploring everything from ultra strength to photographic memories, from balancing acts to meditation, each chapter takes a look at a different ability. The first few pages of the chapter share the experiences of people who have possessed this extreme ability throughout history, and the second part of the chapter explains the science and biology behind the ability as well as suggestions for young readers who want to improve themselves in this area. The author also includes safety warnings and guidelines along with recommendations to prevent students from harming themselves trying to replicate these extreme feats. This will make a great read for young readers who pore over Guiness World Record books and want more background on the records and feats found there. The text is accompanied by full-color illustrations and plenty of fascinating sidebars. VERDICT A popular choice for libraries serving older elementary or middle school students.-Allison McLean, Elkhart Public Library, INFiction © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Imagine being able to walk across Niagara Falls on a wire or to lift a wooden platform that's holding 18 large men.Extreme human abilities appear to come from a combination of innate body differences and sheer determination and training. Watson discusses nine different types of extreme abilities: strength, flexibility, memory, endurance, meditation, underwater breath-holding, speed, mental math, and balance. Each chapter introduces one or more highly talented people, describes their backgrounds, and offers sidebar explanations with some basic anatomy and physiology, a "Hazard Alert!" that warns against children undertaking some of these feats, and then an "Over to You" that offers some tricks of the tradenot to achieve remarkable results but to improve personal skills. Most of the accompanying color artwork consists of cartoonlike illustrations; a few photographs are also included. Some of the extreme abilities push credibility: The platform with 18 men on it that Louis Cyr apparently lifted in 1895 weighed an astonishing 4,336 pounds. Prahlad Jani, an 82-year-old practitioner of meditation, claims not to have had anything to eat or drink since he was a child. Although few readers will have the necessary talent to replicate these remarkable accomplishments, who doesn't love a fantastic (but mostly true!) story?Brief and entertaining. (sources, further reading, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
