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Overview
PREPARE TO LAUGH AND LEARN
Scientific answers to mysteries kids really want to know.
Sure a lot of kids want to grow up to be astronauts, but according to scientist Glenn Murphy, even MORE kids want to know what happens to astronaut farts. (Short answer: Not good things!) And they want to know: Why don't all fish die from lightening storms? Why haven't we all been sucked into a black hole? Do animals talk? Told in a back-and-forth conversational style, Why is Snot Green? presents science just the way kids want to learn it—with lots of laughter.
Synopsis
PREPARE TO LAUGH AND LEARN
Scientific answers to mysteries kids really want to know.
Sure a lot of kids want to grow up to be astronauts, but according to scientist Glenn Murphy, even MORE kids want to know what happens to astronaut farts. (Short answer: Not good things!) And they want to know: Why don't all fish die from lightening storms? Why haven't we all been sucked into a black hole? Do animals talk? Told in a back-and-forth conversational style, Why is Snot Green? presents science just the way kids want to learn it—with lots of laughter.
VOYA
Books of fascinating facts with catchy titles are simply made for youthful readers, and this one is certainly no exception. Murphy, an educational presenter at a London museum, compiles the questions young visitors asked him and, in a simple but never condescending style, provides the answers in dialogues between a freckle-faced boy and a mustachioed, mad scientist. Bodily functions, outer space, scary animals, and other weird and wonderful topics are covered in breezy question-and-answer format, perfect for browsing or reading aloud to parents and peers. Scratchy cartoonish drawings scattered throughout the text add to the book's many charms. Words used in the text are defined in sidebars and an index will assist readers in finding the funniest or grossest facts with which to regale adults and peers. Suggestions for further reading would have been a useful addition to the volume, but librarians and media specialists undoubtedly will receive increased patron demands for more books about sharks, catastrophic weather, UFOs, and the other equally captivating topics covered within this little book. Although this adult reader, who was utterly enthralled by much of the information, might have preferred a different and more genteel title, young readers will delight in asking for this book by name. The reading level seems geared towards younger teens, but older reluctant readers will find both format and subject matter appealing. Public libraries and media centers should acquire multiple copies, if possible, to meet certain demand. Reviewer: Jamie S. Hansen
Editorials
Children's Literature -
With such a fun title you just have to read it, right? I am glad I did. I loved the question and answer format and the playful way the topics are explained. I enjoyed the well-referenced science behind the explanations as well as just fun information. I was, however, jarred when the misuse of the word theory appeared on page 173, but that is a common mistake. Here you can learn about dinosaur teeth and hairy spiders. You learn correct scientific terms such as pyloric sphincter and some great humorous words such as bum trumpet. This book offers great explanations of why animals have an even number of limbs, even a starfish, because of the way development has been driven by evolution. In fact the hundreds of tiny tentacles on the starfish are its feet, and there is even an even number of them. The explanation of bacteria and viruses coevolving with us was so great I wanted to do a happy dance. All topics of science are covered from space, earth, and biology. This is a book that should be front and center in classrooms and libraries for students to access and read. Reviewer: RevaBeth RussellVOYA -
Books of fascinating facts with catchy titles are simply made for youthful readers, and this one is certainly no exception. Murphy, an educational presenter at a London museum, compiles the questions young visitors asked him and, in a simple but never condescending style, provides the answers in dialogues between a freckle-faced boy and a mustachioed, mad scientist. Bodily functions, outer space, scary animals, and other weird and wonderful topics are covered in breezy question-and-answer format, perfect for browsing or reading aloud to parents and peers. Scratchy cartoonish drawings scattered throughout the text add to the book's many charms. Words used in the text are defined in sidebars and an index will assist readers in finding the funniest or grossest facts with which to regale adults and peers. Suggestions for further reading would have been a useful addition to the volume, but librarians and media specialists undoubtedly will receive increased patron demands for more books about sharks, catastrophic weather, UFOs, and the other equally captivating topics covered within this little book. Although this adult reader, who was utterly enthralled by much of the information, might have preferred a different and more genteel title, young readers will delight in asking for this book by name. The reading level seems geared towards younger teens, but older reluctant readers will find both format and subject matter appealing. Public libraries and media centers should acquire multiple copies, if possible, to meet certain demand. Reviewer: Jamie S. HansenSchool Library Journal
Gr 4-8
This irreverent yet fact-filled approach to science attempts to answer many of the crazy and not-so-crazy questions that roll around in kids' heads, including such gems as "Could you dig your way through the Earth to China?" or "What colors can't you see if you're color-blind?" The answers to these and many other inquiries are given in easy-to-understand, kid-friendly language. Topics range from the human body to dinosaurs to the future. The question/answer format is an effective, accessible one, and the short, descriptive answers are, for the most part, both funny and edifying. Occasionally, the explanations become confusing, as is the case when the author describes the planets' orbits and the Sun's gravitational pull, but simple analogies and hand-drawn diagrams help to clarify certain points. Students will find this a fun book to browse independently or share with friends. An excellent choice for reluctant readers in search of entertaining, informative nonfiction.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA