About This Book
Reach for this book when your child starts expressing a fascination with the weird, the gross, or the 'yucky' side of the natural world. It is the perfect choice for a young reader who finds traditional nature books a bit too polite and wants to dive into the gritty reality of how animals survive. Steve Jenkins uses his signature paper-cut collage style to introduce a variety of creatures that use foul odors as a biological superpower. While the topic is humorous and high-interest, the book provides a sophisticated look at evolutionary adaptations and predator-prey dynamics. It is developmentally ideal for elementary-aged children who are building their scientific vocabulary and beginning to appreciate the diverse, sometimes messy, ways that nature functions.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book is secular and scientific. It touches on predator-prey relationships (the reality that animals eat each other), but the paper-collage art style keeps the imagery from being gory or frightening.
Ideal Reader
A 7-year-old who loves 'Guinness World Records' style facts and is currently in a phase of finding bathroom humor hilarious, but who also has a genuine spark for biology.
