Welcome to Team Extreme You may have heard the saying "If life hands you lemons, make lemonade." That's great, but what do you do when those lemons are being handed to you by a 400-pound (181-kg) gorilla? This guide will prepare you for just that sort of scenario, and it'll give you tons of other tips to help you become the ultimate extreme adventurer. And when we say extreme, we mean EXTREME! In capital letters. And italics. With an exclamation point. Yes, the first day of school is extremely uncomfortable, and a wedgie from a bully can be extremely painful. But we're talking about a whole different level of extreme. We're talking pythons, tarantulas, sandstorms, piranhas, sharks, quicksand, elephant stampedes, mountain lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! When faced with these kinds of extreme situations, extreme action must be taken.

FAST! There's no time to sit down and draw a flow chart. No time to text a friend or ask your parents for advice. It's all about you, and what you know, right then, right away. But don't freak out. The information in this book spans the globe, across the seven continents, from ocean to desert to forest to tundra. No unsafe place is safe from our extreme survival know-how. So whether you're going on an adventure in the jungle, in the Arctic, or merely in your imagination, you're covered. Just stay calm.

Surviving an extreme worst-case scenario is as easy as 1, 2, 3 . (OK, sometimes you might need 4, 5, 6.) But even if you don't have plans to go on safari or explore the tundra any time soon, you'll still find this book packed with interesting (and sometimes surprising!) facts. Did you know, for example, that the most dangerous animal in Africa is actually the mosquito? Or that lightning really can strike the same place twice? And did you know that tarantulas can shoot their hairs like tiny darts? You will know after you read this guide. Read, and dare we say, study up. Commit these tips to memory, because a good extreme adventurer is an informed extreme adventurer. So turn the page and begin your initiation into Team Extreme. When you're done reading, you'll have everything you need to take on the world's worst (not to mention lots of cool information to impress your friends with).

Good luck on your journeys. Be safe. Be smart. Be extreme. --David Borgenicht and Justin Heimberg.