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Children's Nonfiction Law & Crime

Duped!

True Stories of the World's Best Swindlers

by (author) Andreas Schroeder

illustrated by Remy Simard

Publisher
Annick Press
Initial publish date
Aug 2011
Category
Law & Crime
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781554513512
    Publish Date
    Sep 2011
    List Price
    $21.95
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781554513505
    Publish Date
    Sep 2011
    List Price
    $12.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781554515875
    Publish Date
    Aug 2011
    List Price
    $12.95

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 9 to 12
  • Grade: 5

Description

As long as there have been people willing to believe the unbelievable, people have been duped. In the best storytelling tradition, readers can follow the tales of:

• How the Nazis planned to destroy the British economy during World War II by flooding the world with millions of fake British banknotes • How an infamous radio broadcast had American citizens convinced that Martians were invading the country • How one of the 20th century’s most elaborate scams — conducting tours to the lost Tasaday tribe in the Philippines — fooled the world’s media and top scientists for nearly a decade.

The author’s fascination with the boldness and inventiveness of the swindlers, as well as their motives, makes for a compelling read. The stories instill a sense of disbelief, amusement and even grudging admiration for these ingenious scam artists who often (but not always) meet a bad end.

Accompanied by graphic-style artwork, each tale offers a great escape for readers drawn to true stories presented in a lively fashion.

About the authors

Andreas Schroeder is the author of twenty books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translations, journalism and literary criticism. His books have won or been shortlisted for many awards including the Governor-General’s Award, the Sealbooks First Novel Award, the Stephen Leacock Award, the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Non-Fiction and the Red Maple Award. For his literary journalism he was shortlisted for a National Magazine Award, and won the Canadian Association of Journalists’ Best Investigative Journalism Award. He received an Honourary Doctorate of Letters from the University College of the Fraser Valley in 2002. Schroeder currently holds the Rogers Communications Chair in Creative Nonfiction in the University of British Columbia’s Creative Writing Program. He lives in Roberts Creek on BC’s Sunshine Coast with his wife Sharon Oddie Brown.

Andreas Schroeder's profile page

 

RÉMY SIMARD est une figure importante du monde québécois de l’édition. Il est à la fois bédéiste, illustrateur et auteur d’albums et de romans pour la jeunesse. Il a aussi dirigé une maison d’édition consacrée à la bande dessinée avant de travailler comme directeur de collection jeunesse. Rémy vit à Montréal, au Québec.

 

Rémy Simard has illustrated many books for children. He is also the author of a series of graphic novels which is being adapted for television. Rémy has been shortlisted for a Governor General’s Award and is well known and regarded for his comic style. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.

 

Remy Simard's profile page

Awards

  • Short-listed, Silver Birch Award

Editorial Reviews

“... a fun lesson on how the masses can be made into fools.”

School Library Journal, 01/12

Librarian Reviews

Duped! True Stories of the World’s Best Swindlers (It Actually Happened)

Each tale in this book uncovers the facts behind eight of the most outrageous scams of all time. Read about a stone-age tribe discovered in the jungles of the Philippines in the 1970s, the discovery of two new plays by William Shakespeare, and a radio broadcast that reported Martians were attacking. These tales of trickery, accompanied by graphic-style artwork, will enthrall readers.

Source: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Best Books for Kids & Teens. Fall, 2012.

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