Animal Grossapedia
This appealing Ripley’s-esque offering pairs two perennial favorites: oddities of the animal kingdom and gross scientific factoids. Adults may be better off not knowing that a cute bunny eats its own feces or that a giant water bug breathes through its behind, but the gross-out factor will be a huge draw for kids, especially reluctant readers. Stewart’s thorough scientific explanations are tempered by a casual language (“A mouthful of pee would make any predator lose its appetite”) that keeps the text from becoming too heady. Photographs are bright, numerous, and arranged in a style that mimics other high-interest reference and nonfiction. Children will be so delightfully disgusted they may not notice that they are learning basic and important biological concepts such as ecological adaptation and environmental stewardship. A detailed glossary includes brief and understandable definitions of all sorts of fun jargon: cecotrope, regurgitate, and more. Grades 3-6. --Erin Anderson