Frequent black-and-white spot art and snarky footnote asides add comedy to this already high-interest blend of history and science. Entertaining and fascinating, with a clever incorporation of STEM topics.

starred review, Booklist

Beccia's light, cheeky approach to the subject matter is tailor-made for a middle-grade audience . . . Readers fond of the gruesome and grotesque with a heavy dose of humor will find much to enjoy here.

Kirkus Reviews

[A] quirky, clever compendium. . . . The author's chatty, irreverent narrative profiles each highlighted luminary and offers supplementary info on such topics as embalming, phrenology, and cryonics--and ample doses of downright creepy, kid-pleasing trivia.

Publishers Weekly

An equal mix of history, science, and biography, the . . . text is straightforward and logical; the tone light and entertaining. Interesting black-and-white, hand-drawn illustrations perfectly mirror the content and tone. Well-researched.

VOYA

This topic is one that has perpetual appeal to middle school readers.

School Library Journal