Simply put this is just a fun, enjoyable book. Full of awesome illustrations and interesting, often funny, facts. I learned a lot and in such a fun way. I'm always drawn to books like this and this one was definitely a great read. Quick and quirky, it's the perfect book to read in one sitting with a cup of coffee.

Random Illustrated Facts is one of those rare fact books that actually shares facts that you don't already know. Add in the engaging illustrations and it's a winner :).

Very interesting book. I didn't know a lot of these facts, and the illustrations kept things from getting dull. School was unbearably dull, so I guess true facts are supposed to be? This wasn't.

I loved this book! I like reading interesting facts, and I read them quite often, but in "Random illustrated facts" there were just a few I already knew. All of the facts were quite interesting, and hilarious! The illustrations were so funny and cute, and complemented the facts perfectly. Some of my favorites were: the very first one - the pekingese as a last line of defense, the Saddam Hussein novel, all facts about animals, the Alaskan ice-cream and the the facts about mushrooms and jellyfish (weird!). Mike Lowery has a great sense of humor, and I'll definitely follow him anywhere on the internet, since these doodles are amazing!

I would classify this as a Bathroom book. Interesting to check out a few pages but not to sit and read cover to cover. Each page has a fact which is illustrated in a cute, often random way... aaannd that's about it. Pretty much does what it says on the tin. The illustrations are nice and simple but not overly interesting.

Random Illustrated Facts are just that: a book about random tidbits with cute illustrations.
I love books like this. As a trivia hound I love knowing random facts that can impress people. This gives me a whole slew of new ones to use. I love the art; it's fun and doesn't make the book seem overly educational.
I'd definitely buy this book as a gift for my erudite but fun friends.

Fact books are my guilty pleasure - I believe you can never know too many random trivial facts to surprise people with. This book doesn't disappoint. First of all, the illustrations are devastatingly adorable (I found myself staring at cute bunnies for far too long) and flow really well with the information given. Most importantly, the facts provided were new to me and quite interesting - did you know Bob Ross didn't get paid for his show? WHAT?
Random Illustrated Facts would make a great gift for anyone of any age who enjoys the odd tidbit of information. Here's to winning at your local trivia night!

Random Illustrated Facts: A Collection of Curious, Weird, and Totally Not Boring Things to Know is a collection of illustrations by Mike Lowery and handwritten tidbits about the obscure, unusual and simply random. The book is divided into sections covering history, animals, food and drinks, science and everyday things.

After developing an [obsession] interest with children's non-fiction books last year and borrowing [all the new ones throughout the year regardless of topic] some from the library, I already knew a lot of these random facts and had absorbed others through osmosis over the years. Apparently my brain clings to [useless] random snippets of information and in doing so pushes out the stuff I actually need to remember in the process.

This was a quick read. I enjoyed the quirkiness of the illustrations and think this would be a suitable gift book. I can also see these illustrations being used as a basis for an office desk calendar.

I found the writing which tends to slope upwards to the right fairly often distracting until I got used to it, the clutter of words on some pages hard to follow and the smudges on others a bit off-putting, but maybe I'm being overly picky.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley (thank you very much to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Group for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.

I have been following this artist on instagram for a few years and was delighted to see that he was making a book. The book fun facts over whimsical one page drawings. I appreciate the authors curiosity, which is well matched by his art style.

Love reading the random facts compiled by Mike Lowery in this graphic novel. Some of the facts are really shocking, for example the urine facts that was once used to whiten teeth. Another surprising fact is about Hussein anonymously published a romance novel, which is so unlike his character because he is infamous for being a dictator.

As a whole, this compilation is a good way to learn more about other things we are not aware of and a great to entertain ourselves.

I can't read this book without a big goofy grin on my face and interrupting everyone within reach with random facts. An entire book full of the most hilarious anticdotes that you will feel compelled to insert into all future conversations!

This little book is a helluva good time! It has a few facts that are actually pretty obvious and that most everyone knows, but for the most part -- I'd say 95% at least -- these facts were completely new and yes, TOTALLY RANDOM. I had never heard most of these things before reading this book, and it was a lot of fun to read them now. For instance, did you know that, in Georgia, it is against the law for a mortician to say naughty words in front of a corpse? Or how about that the tongue of a blue whale can weigh up to three tons? That cheese was stolen more than any other food in 2011?

These are only a teeny, tiny sampling of the awesomeness that is waiting to be found inside of this book. If you are like me and enjoy trivia or just learning random, useless things for fun, then this is definitely the book for you. It's also good for kids because the art makes it fun. Furthermore, the art helps to reinforce the facts, themselves, so if you are training for some kind of random information trivia night, I would definitely recommend this book, as the art that goes along with the facts really helps to cement the facts, themselves, in your mind.

I had a lot of fun with this book. I'm going to let my son read it tonight. I think he will have a lot of fun with it as well.

I will admit - my rating went from a three star to a five star on this book. When I first started reading, I really wished there was more substance to the subject matter rather than throwing out...well...random facts. But then, it's described right in the title, isn't it? I soon got into it, and really enjoyed the trivia and the cool drawings. This would be a great coffee-table book, or one to keep on the reference bookshelf to pull down, get a subject to look up, and then read more about elsewhere. There are laughter-inducing and jaw-dropping facts to be had. The chapters are separated into subject matter so you find things more easily and read up on things that interest you or learn something new I recommend this book, and I recommend you read the first chapter so you don't give up to soon. It's worth it!
I received an ARC from the publisher, but was under no obligation to give any review, good or otherwise.

I know it's not just me, but I LOVE a random fact. Just that tiny little nugget of, usually weird, information that could potentially unfold into an entire new story! Or, a little blurb of information that simply stands on its own as a "Huh, what do ya know" fact. Perfect for small talk or planting curiosity. Mike Lowery pulls it off with his unique illustrations and writing/art style. I loved this book just as a casual interesting read. Anyone of any age or gender can appreciate this collection of quirky facts. SO GOOD! I can't wait to share the fact about Alfred Hitchcock, so odd!

I'm so glad I got to review this book from NetGalley. Once in a while a book comes along that ticks all the boxes. This one does. It's funny and weird and the art finds the perfect balance between folk primitive and goofy. It's not easy at all to draw clearly and well and with character. Mike Lowery has been at it for years.
I am a trivia junkie and this book scratched my itch. If you're 'that person' at work.. the one who has all the trivia, the one people look at in wonder and say 'how the heck...what the heck? How did you KNOW that?!' then this book will give you even more ammo for amazement and mirth around the water cooler. If you're NOT that person, but want to be, well, here's your new secret weapon.

These full page cartoons are collected into five parts dealing with diverse (very diverse) topics such as science, everyday things, and food and drinks. The temptation of course, when reviewing this sort of book (well, not exactly this sort, since in my estimation, it's unique) is to spoil the heck out of it by listing a selection of the contents. I am resisting the urge. You get the cover blurbs, go buy the book! Seriously.

Additionally, in the background/biographical intro, Mr. Lowery states that has been drawing in notebooks nearly daily for a couple decades. This actually gives me some hope. I have masses of notebooks, all bought with firm and grandiose plans to fill them up with drawings and notes and brilliance. 99% of them sit tauntingly on my bookshelves, empty. I'm going to start jotting, maybe drawing. Well done! I think this is one of those things that people (i.e., Mike Lowery) do and make it look effortless when it's not effortless at all.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Five stars. With bonus stars because drawing like that's not easy.

One of my guilty pleasures is random facts, so when I saw on NetGalley that Mike Lowery was going to publish a book with illustrated facts, I had to request it!

And what a wonderful decision! I loved it!!!

The concept is cool, you go from page to page with a certain delight. The illustrations are pleasant and full of cuteness. The graphics have this round edge that make them simple but so efficient. They accompany the facts very well. Sometimes I even get more distracted by the cute art and then had to remember to actually read the fact. That's how good this book is. It is different from others facts books because you are not submersed by a tons of facts. They are well selected and put into categories. What I mean is that I liked the effort of not putting a lot of facts to fill-in every category. It feels like the selection was genuinely done, organized but sort of spontaneous. The same can be said for the art. Indeed, the illustrations are colorful and draw as a doodle vibe if I take the author's words for it. I am usually not a big fan of doodle books but Mike Lowery made me change my mind with his book!
What I love the most in this book was the facts, of course, but also the comments! Damn the comments are the best part. They are funny and sometimes even adorable!
You will definitely learn some cool stuff along the way. Now, you just have to remember some of them!
And to work on that, I will probably buy a copy of the book when it comes out!

If I comment on an academic perspective, it was a good book. The style is great, especially if you want to work on the structure of sentences. It has everything. I would definitely recommend it to my students. They will dive into this book with ease while being distracted by the art and the entertaining facts! I loved it!


I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Random Illustrated Facts is an awesome book for people who love bulking up on trivia! The facts are amazing and the illustrations bring them to life in a humorous way. I would have never guessed how Bluetooth got it's name or that Bumblebee Bats existed until I read this book. I hope to see more random Illustrated Facts in the future!

This book is so interesting - chock full of interesting, fascinating and downright odd facts. It would be a great addition to any library, large or small. Recommended. (Love the drawings too!)

5 helms

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I'm a curious person by nature....I have this insatiable thirst for knowledge and I LOVE random trivia regardless of its usefulness....I just enjoy knowing weird things ok!!! :P Trivia is always a great conversation starter right?! This book had a plethora of fun facts all accompanied with cute doodles! What's not to like!? Fun to read and fun to flip through....I finished it quickly and wanted more.

I'm also impressed with Mike Lowery's interest in facts and scrapbooking at the tender age of 11! He's been doing this since childhood! Wish I was that curious at 11 lol...Buy this if you are a curious person too and love your fun facts, if you need a gift for someone (or yourself!) or just feel like an impulse buy hehe...If you do give into that impulse buy, it will make a great addition to your bookshelf! Enjoy!