So You Want To Be A Waterslide Tester (So You Want To Be A...)
About
What if your job was riding waterslides?
It sounds like the best job in the world — and for thirty seconds at a time, it is. But before any waterslide opens to the public, someone has to ride it. Again, and again, and again. Someone has to feel exactly where the curve grows too tight, where the water layer goes thin, where a body shifts in a way a designer in an office could never have predicted. That someone is a waterslide tester.
This nonfiction career-exploration book introduces young readers to one of the most surprising jobs in the world — equal parts adrenaline and physics, joy and rigor. They’ll discover what testers actually do (it isn’t just sliding), how the thin layer of water on every slide is the single thing keeping a ride from becoming dangerous, why testers have to ride the way ten-year-olds really ride (sideways, arms crossed, holding hands in tubes), and why some of the most important work in the world is work no one ever notices got done.
Inside this book:
- The five critical things every tester checks on every ride
- A real day in the life — from 7 AM at the empty park to the signed certification at 4:30 PM
- Famous waterslide testers in history, including Tommy Lynch’s four years and 108,000 miles of slides
- A glossary of tester words — banking angle, hydroplaning, flow rate, transition, and more
- Hands-on experiments any reader can try at home
- The book’s heart: safety and joy are not opposites; they are the same thing
For ages 10 to 14, with insights and surprises that hold attention well beyond. A book for the kind of child who notices things — and for every parent or teacher who wants to show them that careful, quiet work matters, even when no one ever knows your name.
Praise for this book
"So You Want To Be A Waterslide Tester by Linda Soules offers young children a look at what it takes to be a waterslide tester. It sounds like a fun job, but there’s more to it than spending all day whizzing down waterslides! Spending the day at a theme park or water park is great, but not many people give any thought to what goes into making things safe. This book is for all those kids—big and small—who want to know what it takes. You’ll learn exactly what a waterslide tester does, why there’s already water on the slide (and how it keeps you safe), and how testers determine the right water flow and why. You’ll walk through a day in the life of a tester, from sunup to when the park is shut for the day, and you’ll even meet some famous testers. If you’ve ever thought you might want this job, this book prepares you for what to expect.
So You Want To Be A Waterslide Tester by Linda Soules goes to the heart of plenty of young kids’ dreams, explaining exactly what being a waterslide tester really means. The book is plainly written with some wonderful illustrations; it leaves readers—young and older—in no doubt about what the job entails. It incorporates physics, explaining it clearly and cleanly, and through every stage the tester must evaluate it for your safety. You’ll learn how all the different types of slides are tested, the tools a tester needs, and yes, you’ll even learn what makes the job truly great—30 seconds of sheer joy, plummeting down toward the pool at the bottom—but also the hard parts. A Day In The Life tells you everything you need to know about a waterslide tester's daily life and who else they work with. At the end of the book, you’ll learn about some of the most famous testers in the world and plenty of fun facts designed to keep you safe. And for all those who really want to give this job a go, there are even some practical ways you can prepare at home. It’s fun and informative, and if your dream job involves sliding your way through the day, this could be just what you’re looking for. Or if not, it’s a great way to understand what keeps you safe when you spend the day at your favorite water park."
"So You Want To Be A Waterslide Tester by Linda Soules is an engaging and informative children’s nonfiction book that turns a dream job into a fascinating STEM lesson. At first, waterslide testing sounds like nothing more than riding slides all day, but this book quickly shows young readers that the job involves physics, engineering, careful observation, and a serious commitment to safety. Soules presents the work of waterslide testers as both exciting and important, helping kids understand that the fun they experience at a water park is made possible by people doing detailed behind-the-scenes work.
One of the book’s strongest qualities is the way it explains complex ideas in language children can understand. Readers learn about water flow, speed, surface friction, G-forces, hydroplaning, banking angles, and landing impact without feeling overwhelmed. The book also makes the science feel practical by showing how testers ride slides repeatedly, checking every curve, transition, and splashdown area to make sure the ride is safe for real kids and families. The day-in-the-life structure, from the morning briefing to the final safety report, gives the book a clear sense of purpose and helps readers see how much preparation goes into opening a waterslide to the public.
I’ve read many books in this series, and I always appreciate the inclusion of “The Hardest Parts of the Job” section because it shows that the book is honest about the challenges of each career rather than presenting only the fun parts. In this book, the line “Testing the same slide two hundred times is also as repetitive as it sounds” is a great example of how it balances excitement with reality.
The colorful illustrations add to the appeal and help keep the subject lively for younger readers. They make the technical information easier to follow while maintaining the playful energy of a book about water parks and slides. The glossary, fun facts, and hands-on activities are also valuable additions, especially for children who enjoy asking how things work or who are curious about building, design, and unusual careers.
So You Want To Be A Waterslide Tester is a wonderful choice for curious kids, especially those between the ages of 10 and 14 who enjoy science, engineering, theme parks, or learning about jobs they may never have imagined existed. It captures the fun of waterslides while emphasizing that safety and joy are connected, not separate. Parents, teachers, and librarians will appreciate how the book encourages curiosity, observation, and respect for quiet, careful work that keeps people safe. This is an entertaining and educational read that makes science feel adventurous, memorable, and fun."
"This book provides a great detailed explanation of the science behind this job. While most kids will think something like this sounds fun and exciting, the why behind the job is broken down into wording they can understand and the reasoning behind why the job is so important. The illustrations that go along with the story and colorful and sure to grab and keep kids' attention to the reading. Great and informative book!"
"'Yes, this is as fun as it sounds.' This book was fun. I learned a lot about a job I never really thought of before. Parents and children will enjoy learning about what it is like to be a water slide tester. I like the extras in the book - the glossary and fun facts sections. 'If the slide is the gift, the people who certified it are the reason that gift can be opened.'"
"I personally do not enjoy water slides anymore, but my grandkids love them. This is a job they would love to have. I recommend this to anyone who has kids or grandkids who may not have been down a water slide yet, but wants them to learn about them."
"This is so cool. I never gave a thought about testing a water slide. But if this job sounds interesting to you, this book can give you much information about all aspects of the job. Plus there’s dozens more different jobs in the book series."
"This book definitely kept my attention and I’m not a child. I think it’s great for kids and adults alike. I love that it teaches physics and yet it all seems so fun! If I were a kid reading this book, it would paint the perfect picture of my dream job!"
"A very interesting look at an alternative career. This book was very informational and unexpected. Thoroughly enjoyable."
"Fun and informative book for kids, would be a great option for reading in preparation for a trip to a theme park or water park, 1. to teach about safety on ride and 2. it's a really fun topic to read about! Looking forward to other options in the series."
"My child was fascinated to learn about the actual engineering that goes into keeping water park rides safe and exciting. The book does a wonderful job of breaking down how things work behind the scenes without getting too complicated. It wraps everything up into a genuinely enjoyable read."
"Fun book in a series of So You Want To Be A ... books. Fun read for young people showing that behind the scenes of fun activities are people that make them work safely. Good encouragement for young people to realize that something you like can turn into meaningful employment in the future."
"This book has a very thorough look at what happens behind the scenes at a waterslide. Things like how they really work and the amount of prep that goes into making sure they are safe for use by the general public. Information is given out with colorful illustrations that look nice and would probably be helpful in keeping a younger audience interested. Would recommend to younger kids who have a curious nature of wanting to know more about the things they like."
"Kids are always curious about how things work and this is a great book that explains how watersides work and how they could become a tester. I’d love to have this whole series in my classroom as kids always need inspiration for career choices and I like to show why school is important. This book shows kids all the hard work and skills people use to make sure water slides are safe."
"I never would have thought in a million years to be a waterslide tester. This book is a eye opener for kids as to what other jobs are out there and available. I didn't know what all a waterslide tester entailed until I read this book. Very informative."
"I genuinely did not know there were water slide testers as a profession. From the physics to the slide testing is incredible! Understanding that makes me greatly appreciate the work done behind the scenes. As a kid who enjoyed White Water and Hurricane Harbor growing up, this put a whole new perspective on my childhood. I will be using this book series to teach my daughter about all of these amazing jobs!"
"This book provides a great insight on what it takes to be a water slide tester. Who knew this was even a job? How neat!! For any kid curious about all the different jobs out there, this book would be great! The book goes into detail what it takes to be a water slide tester, how it can be a fun job but is also very important for the safety of the riders to come. It explains the physics behind water slides and how the tester measures speed and exit velocity as well as water depth and testing how the body moves through the slide to ensure that every aspect is perfect for the safety of the public. The book explains the attributes such as ability to say not yet to a slide being ready that are necessary to be a tester. It also talks of different companies and a famous tester. Lots of fun illustrations and fun facts! A great book and interesting career option."
"Five stars. Honestly! The illustrations are so colorful and draw you in immediately and they stay throughout the book as well! It doesn’t just tell you water slides are awesome and so fun what a crazy super awesome job! Nope! The author made it so upbeat and fun to keep reading along that I could probably become a water slide tester at this point. It gives examples of the good and of the bad and it was just an incredible book. To find out it is also a series and there are more just like it?! Definitely going to be checking that out asap!"