Goldsworthy, Steve. A Daredevil’s Guide to Stunts.

Goldsworthy, Steve.  A Daredevil’s Guide to Stunts.  Capstone     2013  48p   ISBN 978-1-4296-9987-7    series: Daredevils’ Guides  elem/ms  Hardback  E-BNS  Nonfiction   

Occasionally a book is published that has mass appeal despite the subject -- in this case, stunts.  Readers of all ages will enjoy poring through the lists of the best stunts ever performed, viewing the old photographs that depict actual performances, and reading information about each stunt, which is incredibly interesting.  Topics include the most famous performers, like Harry Houdini, Evel Knievel, and Zoe Bell, as well as the little known, like Felix Baumgartner, Alain Roberts, and Charles Blondin.  What better way to start a book than with venues like Niagara Falls and flying circuses, which appear in the first chapter.  There are many more venues woven into the subsequent chapters, which include a how-to guide for performing a full burn, descriptions of the best of Hollywood’s stunts, explanations of vehicle stunts, and a typical day in the life of Vic Armstrong, Harrison Ford’s double in several Indiana Jones movies.  Author Steve Goldsworthy could not have organized the book any better, for there is a massive amount of information on the topic that he has broken down into a manageable volume for readers both young and old.  The layout is stellar.  The text flows naturally with the help of text structures that are familiar to younger readers, and vocabulary words are defined throughout as necessary, another valuable tool to help middle-school readers.  The book ends with a glossary, a list of a few resources to consult, and an index.     The series Daredevils’ Guides also includes books on car racing, storm chasing, and swimming with sharks.  Characteristics of the series include well-organized data, stellar photographs, artsy layouts, and content that is certain to appeal to readers of all ages.  This book is an excellent choice for upper-elementary school libraries, middle-school libraries, and public libraries.

Summary: Stunts of all kinds appear in this guide, including world-famous stunts at a variety of venues as well as the Hollywood stunts that are performed in movies.  The book includes motivation and “how-to” descriptions for a variety of stunts.    

Stunts                                                      --Martha Squaresky