Bad Kids

by Tony Robinson

So you're standing outside the Head's office, waiting to be told off for breaking a classroom window. You've got sweaty palms and a serious sinking feeling in your stomach. Do you think no one's ever had a life as bad as you? Well, you're wrong. Kids in the past have had to suffer much worse punishments than a lecture about how they've let the whole school down. For instance however angry your Head gets, it's fairly certain that she's not going to put you in a pillory and nail your ears to it. All through history, children have been getting into some serious scrapes. And they didn't often get off lightly. Tony Robinson takes you on a guided tour through the lives of outlaw children from history, their dastardly crimes and awful punishments.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

133 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 2009

About the author

Sir Tony Robinson is an English actor, comedian, amateur historian, TV presenter, author and political activist. He is known for playing "Baldrick" in the BBC television series Blackadder and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

History is always one of those things that either the YA loves or hates. There's not generally any middle ground so who can you get that will make it not only fun but add a touch of humour to the mix. None other than perhaps Histories simplest mind, Baldrick (or in this case Tony Robinson.) What he does along with the artist is take a look at different time periods, slash out the boring bit and keep the fun and perhaps more relevant to the reader pieces of history left. It deals with everything from fines to crimes, from characters to examples of history in action that allows the reader to get to know the people who came before in a personal yet easily understood way explained as only a mind that's never truly grown up can. Its fun, its exciting and perhaps best of all it lets you know that kids today have never had it so good.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed by the eight year old.

[Leelan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun. And made me think about some things I hadn't thought of before.

[Vandy]

great non foc read for grades3 and up. esp boys...bad boys...suggesting ways they were punished in the past...very very haunting.

[Sarah]

Very sexists towards female ....