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Books By Clive Gifford - Author

Clive Gifford is an award-winning author of over 200 books specializing in engaging and entertaining non-fiction books for children and young adults. His books have garnered much praise and won Children's Choice, NAPPA Gold Star, TES Book of the Year and Smithsonian awards. Refugees was shortlisted for The British Book Awards whilst Discover the Extreme World was on the four-book shortlist for the 2012 Blue Peter Book Award. In October 2018, Clive won The Sainsbury's Children's Book Award for The Book Of Comparisons. He also won The Blue Peter Book Award 2019 for The Colours of History.

With a lifelong interest in geopolitics, ecology and the environment, Clive has authored a number of titles on ecology and global issues for Heinemann, Franklin Watts, Lonely Planet, DK and now Buster Books. Clive has contributed many articles to Encyclopaedia Britannica, appeared on radio and at live events and written hundreds of articles to a wide range of publications. He is based in Manchester.

A Q&A on This is Not a Science Book

Is your new book This is Not a Science Book a science book or what? 

Ahhh, that would be telling! I can tell you what it is not and that’s a stuffy school science textbook. It is an entertaining activities book with lots of drawing, investigating, colouring-in, project making and puzzling to be done but it does show how all around you, science is constantly happening. 

The book is packed with surprising facts and phenomena and activities to scramble your brain with visual illusions and tricks. Why not have a look yourselves, then you can tell me whether the book is out science or about fun or, a lot of both.

Where do you live?

I live in a large three-storey tumbledown house on the very edge of Manchester. It's pretty old - I think it was built in 1906 - and there always seems to be bits of it falling off! It overlooks the Mersey Valley and I can cycle through countryside and canal paths to get to the centre of Manchester.

What do you carry with you when you travel for your writing?

I always carry a notebook and several pens (I am constantly losing pens) to jot down any ideas that spring to mind. I also carry a digital camera or my smartphone to snap pictures and a tiny MP3 player to record interviews. There’s always a pack of Post-It notes in one of my pockets to mark pages of books with useful information to return to, as well.

What is your favourite children's book ever?

That is a toughie! I can give you several favourites if that is okay, starting with the ‘Golden Compass/Northern Lights’ trilogy by Phillip Pullman which I think were truly magical examples of storytelling and David Almond’s ‘Skellig’ which is a truly beautiful story.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Books. No question. Every project I work on needs lots of books to research the subject and gives me the excuse to go to the bookshop and spend, spend, spend! I haven’t counted them but I reckon I’ve got over 7,000 books all littered round my house!


Do you still buy books at shops or do you get all your facts off the internet?

The Internet is, of course, very useful especially for checking and getting the most up to date statistic or snippet but the information on there often only tells a tiny part of the whole story. For a complete picture of how or why something works or more detail, I still think books and magazines are extremely important. I visit bookshops and use libraries all the time. The libraries in my area, Trafford, are excellent and we have an amazing old bookshop over in Sharston which has more than half a million old books!

What would you like to be if you weren't a writer?

Really good question! I really would have liked to have been a rock star but was lousy at playing the guitar. The other job I would have liked was to be a documentary film-maker.

Author's Website: http://www.clivegifford.co.uk/

Follow Clive Gifford on Social Media

A Question of Geography: How Can a Rock Float?

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 23rd October 2025

£8.09 £8.99

A Question of Geography: Why Don't Bees Freeze in the Arctic?

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 23rd October 2025

£8.09 £8.99

A Question of Geography: How Can It Rain Fish?

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 28th August 2025

£8.09 £8.99

A Question of Geography: How Can a River Just Vanish?

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 28th August 2025

£8.09 £8.99

True Stories You'll Never Forget

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 24th July 2025

£6.29 £6.99

Super Tech

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 26th June 2025

£8.09 £8.99

So That's How It Works

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

The Hungry History of Sharks

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 8th May 2025

£8.99 £9.99

Computer Kids

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Pre-order. 10th April 2025

£8.09 £8.99

Going Online

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Learning Online

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

How Can It Rain Fish?

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Gross Tech

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Robots

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

How to Make a Human

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£8.99 £9.99

Kamala Harris

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Having Fun Online

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Dinosaurs

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Big Data

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Coding Online

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Space

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Staying Safe Online

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Being Healthy Online

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

AI

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Mitchell Starc

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£5.39 £5.99

Heather Knight

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£5.39 £5.99

The Football Encyclopedia

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Temporarily Out Of Stock

£11.69 £12.99

Virat Kohli

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£5.39 £5.99

Ben Stokes

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£5.39 £5.99

Tudors

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Incredible Golf

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Ancient Greeks

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Who Invented Inventing?

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

How the World Works

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£11.69 £12.99

Land of Hunters

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£15.29 £16.99

Welcome to the Mysteryverse

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Temporarily Out Of Stock

£18.00 £20.00

The World's Wonders

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£11.69 £12.99

Incredible Rugby

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

The Book of Time

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£13.49 £14.99

Ancient Romans

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Explorers

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Incredible Football

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

You & Your Amazing Brain

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£9.89 £10.99

Philosophy for Everyone

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£13.49 £14.99

Vikings

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Ancient Egyptians

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Incredible Cricket Stories

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Super-Smart Robots

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Netball

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Basketball

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Robot Helpers

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Rugby

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Land of Giants

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£14.39 £15.99

Eco-Robots

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Robot Explorers

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Amazing Quizzes and Puzzles Every 10 Year Old Wants to Play

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Temporarily Out Of Stock

£4.49 £4.99

Amazing Puzzles and Quizzes for Every 9 Year Old

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Temporarily Out Of Stock

£4.49 £4.99

How Everything Works

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£11.69 £12.99

Atlas of Football

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Temporarily Out Of Stock

£9.89 £10.99

Powered by Plants

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£13.49 £14.99

Football Joke Book

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Tennis

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Football

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Number Shocker

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£7.19 £7.99

Our World in Numbers

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£13.49 £14.99

100 Things to Know About Inventions

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£13.49 £14.99

Quick History of Money

Gifford and 1 more

Ebook (Epub)

Not Available

A Quick History of Money

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Wasted!

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

You & Your Strange Brain

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Mythbusters

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Guardians of the Planet

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£8.99 £9.99

Great Games

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Backward Science

Gifford and 1 more

Ebook (Epub)

Not Available

A Quick History of Maths

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Monster Trucks

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Soccer

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Fake News

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Football Record Breakers

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£8.99 £9.99

How Trains Work

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£11.69 £12.99

Webpage Design

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Tropical Lands

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

The Race to Space

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Race to Space

Gifford and 1 more

Ebook (Epub)

Not Available

A Robot World

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

How Airports Work

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£11.69 £12.99

Raise the Flag

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Football Skills

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

1001 Really Ridiculously Silly Jokes

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Temporarily Out Of Stock

£6.29 £6.99

The Book of Comparisons

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

In Focus

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Galapagos Islands

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£7.19 £7.99

Natural Wonders

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Ancient Wonders

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Players and Skills

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Greatest Fans

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Polar Lands

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Out of This World

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Hung, Drawn & Quartered

Clive Gifford

Paperback

In Stock

£6.29 £6.99

Denmark

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Amir Khan

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Greatest Players

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Bugs

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Atlas of Oddities

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Unusual Wonders

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Cricket

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Motorsports

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

iRobot

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Machines

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Germany

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Cars, Trains, Ships & Planes

Clive Gifford

Hardback

In Stock

£17.99 £19.99

Skiing

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Things That Go

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

So You Think You Know Enid Blyton's The Famous Five

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Temporarily Out Of Stock

£5.39 £5.99

Robot's Revenge

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Andy Murray

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Football Focus

Gifford and 1 more

Digital Product (Other)

Not Available

The Empire Windrush

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

World War I

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Eye Benders

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

The Book of Space

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Ellie Simmonds

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Cars

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Trucks

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Super Trucks

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Outside-in Human Body

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Dreadfully Deadly History

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Machines on the Move

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Athletics

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

OLD TESTAMENT

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

NEW TESTAMENT

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Crimebusters

Clive Gifford

Paperback

Not Available

Racism

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available

Media & Communication

Clive Gifford

Hardback

Not Available