Every kick has a story. Every belt was earned. Every one of these 444 facts is real.

From the Okinawan islands where karate began to the sumo ring in Japan, from Bruce Lee's fighting philosophy to a kung fu master who held his whole body up on two fingers, this is the martial arts book curious readers actually finish.

Written by Dr. Rabea Hadi, a board-certified family physician who writes educational nonfiction for young readers, it goes past punches and kicks into the history, traditions, and values behind twenty-two fighting arts from around the world.


Short facts. Real records. A trivia challenge at the end of every chapter. And a final chapter that hands the reader the pen and asks them to invent a martial art of their own.

444+ numbered facts across 22 chapters, written for readers ages 7 to 12

Full chapters on karate, judo, taekwondo, kung fu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, capoeira, muay thai, sumo, kendo, kickboxing, sambo, savate, jeet kune do, and wrestling

A "Did You Know?" spotlight in every chapter on a real fighter, from Mikio Yahara to Yasuhiro Yamashita to Hadi Saei

88 trivia questions with answer keys, so readers can test what they learned

A world records chapter: the 72 km/h punch, 155 concrete blocks in 60 seconds, the 4-year-old black belt

Chapters on belts and ranks, gear and uniforms, martial arts around the world, and what training does for focus, confidence, and discipline

24 creative prompts to design an original style, complete with moves, belts, a dojo, and a motto

Short, scannable facts built for reluctant readers and confident readers alike

"It goes into how each type came to be and a brief history of the type of Martial Art it is. It is very educational and highly recommend." — Melissa Steinberg

"The book goes beyond punches and kicks and introduces kids to the history, traditions, and values behind different martial arts. The short, easy-to-read facts kept things interesting and made learning fun." — Keisha

"You really do learn something new every day. My son has recently gotten into Taekwondo and he liked learning all the things about it." — Justin Biehl

"Full of facts, trivia, moves, secrets, techniques, and uniforms related to Martial Arts. The stories and tricks will amaze your kids." — Lisa B. Lewis

"This book is fascinating! Sections are easy to follow and understand." — Reader

Perfect for fans of Weird But True!, Guinness World Records, The Everything Kids' series, and the Fun Facts for Sports Kids collection. Ideal for young students already training at a dojo, for readers who love records and trivia, and as a gift for a kid who just tied on a white belt.

Dr. Rabea Hadi is a board-certified family physician and the author behind Choose Your Quest, a catalog of full-length narrative fiction and educational nonfiction for children and teens. Years of listening to patients taught him that the mind holds on to what it enjoys, and he writes to put real knowledge in front of young readers in a form they will finish. Find more at ChooseYourQuest.net.

Tie your belt, stand tall, and get reading.