Flush It Down
The Story of Sewers Through Time
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Cicada Books
Published:2nd Oct '25
Should be back in stock very soon
Excavating the dirty truths of human waste (and its disposal) through history.
Hold your nose and dive into the smelly, but surprisingly fascinating world of sewers! From the mighty Cloaca Maxima of Ancient Rome to the revolting, waste-filled streets of the Middle Ages, and on to the ingenious pipes and tunnels of Joseph Bazalgette’s Great London Sewer, this book uncovers the gross—and great—history of how humans have dealt with their dirty business.
With bright, hilarious, detail-packed illustrations by Rob Flowers, Flush It Down is packed with fun facts, weird tales, and thought-provoking discussions around the problems of human waste and how we can deal with the challenges facing us today.
It’s a wild, wacky ride through the underground - no rubber boots required - and an engaging tie-in to history and STEAM curriculums.
'A smart, stinky mix of history and science that KS2 readers will absolutely love.' - School Reading List
'Packed with entertaining illustrations and plenty of word play and puns, adding much humour to the subject. A fun addition to any bookshelf, Flush It Down is full of historical and scientific information.' - Through the Bookshelf
'Busily, colourfully and wittily illustrated on every page, it goes from explaining what 'poo' is all the way to the more environmental ways of disposing of it. It takes in how prehistoric peoples managed, Roman sewage disposal, the contributions of George Harrington (who designed a flush toilet) and of Joseph Bazalgette who put sewers under London in the 19th century. It also discusses sewage-borne diseases, issues in underdeveloped countries, and a lot more. It's entertaining non-fiction that links science with history and geography.' - The School Librarian (SLA Journal)
ISBN: 9781800660649
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 520g
40 pages