Thursday, January 27, 2011

Eeew, Yuck, Gross!

Educational, Too...
If you are looking to engage a reluctant reader and raise awareness about health, environmental topics or cultural differences, give any of these eeew books a try. The titles will probably appeal to fans of the Captain Underpants series and are mainly for fun; not school reports.

Sanitation Investigation Series

Each of three books in this series explains the history and science of life's little unmentionables. Though the yuck factor is high, the public and personal health information is very good. (Grades 2-3)

Gross Body Science Series
Plenty of ick to go around but with surprisingly useful lessons about how your body attacks germs and about personal hygiene : brushing your teeth, covering your sneeze, washing your hands. For slightly older readers in grades 4-5.

Extreme Cuisine
Learn about how one person's 'swatable' bug is another person's delicacy. One title with a couple of others on the way. Adults might also like to take a peek at Strange Foods by Jerry Hopkins or Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods show on the Travel Channel.