The Truth About Poop

...it's a slam-dunk for this age group. My 12 year-old son, who generally considers himself "too old" for picture books, picked this one up and was immediately intrigued. It's got just the right blend of humor, straightforward information, and gee-whiz facts. (Did you know that the ancient Romans used pigeon poop to bleach their hair? Me neither!) The author does a fantastic job of explaining the science behind a topic that (like it or not) is of great interest to most kids. Not to mention a good many adults.

Three cheers for this author for writing so humorously, informatively, and in a very, ah, down to earth fashion about the subject that most interests kids!

The title is self-explanatory, and don't sniff and turn away from this one. (Pardon the pun.) It makes for fascinating reading even for the most fastidious reader. Although her touch is light, and it's impossible to read the book without grinning, Susan never goes for the cheap shot. She chuckles without smirking. Chapter headings include: Useful Poop, History of the Toilet Parts 1 and 2, Dung Dispatch, and Poop Power. Having trouble getting third or fourth graders to read a book? Put this one on the table and see how long it takes before a group of kids (probably boys) are gathered around absorbing scientific information.

Goodman's witty prose raises the subject matter from the dregs of social life to a subject worthy for consideration. The book is funny and wry- and kids will beg to be read a page of it aloud as a reward system (works great in the classroom!) Chock full of mind-blowing facts, Goodman explores her subject from the cool to the gross to the downright bizarre. "There was life before toilet paper, and much of it wasn't pretty." The illustrations are an asset to the text, which is dense with fact but layered with enough levity and wonderment to appeal to the child scientist in all of us. A must-buy for all classrooms and libraries, and any home where parents speak frankly about how bodies work.

The Truth About Poop is filled with just the right balance of factual information and humor. It is listed as a book for ages 9 and up and, while it no doubt would appeal to even younger readers (thanks to the ageless zaniness of Elwood Smith's humorous illustrations), it will definitely be a hit with older kids, right on up to full-blown adults of any age.The book is filled with oddball facts about animals and insects that use poop as disguise, temperature control and sexual attraction. The history of the modern toilet is covered (not with a terry cloth cover, however) along with other inventive ways humans have found to dispose of and use their solid bodily waste.Many books of this ilk gravitate to gross jokes. However, Susan Goodman and Elwood Smith have used a higher grade of humor and good taste to create this wonderful book on a topic that is often avoided or merely joked about.A super pooper gift for anyone's bathroom.The Truth About Poop is filled with just the right balance of factual information and humor. It is listed as a book for ages 9 and up and, while it no doubt would appeal to even younger readers (thanks to the ageless zaniness of Elwood Smith's humorous illustrations), it will definitely be a hit with older kids, right on up to full-blown adults of any age.The book is filled with oddball facts about animals and insects that use poop as disguise, temperature control and sexual attraction. The history of the modern toilet is covered (not with a terry cloth cover, however) along with other inventive ways humans have found to dispose of and use their solid bodily waste.Many books of this ilk gravitate to gross jokes. However, Susan Goodman and Elwood Smith have used a higher grade of humor and good taste to create this wonderful book on a topic that is often avoided or merely joked about.A super pooper gift for anyone's bathroom.