Gross Stuff That Helps Ocean Animals Survive

I have worked hard at avoiding all things yucky throughout my life. First my mother was on duty when I would scream and point, and now it is my hapless husband who hurries to my rescue. I am not proud of this, often wishing I was made of stronger mettle.

The Nature’s Yucky! four-book series does not, therefore, call to me with its siren song, BUT …

I am told kids clamor for these books because anything YUCKY is so darn interesting.

What’s more, these are good nonfiction read-alouds, using alliteration and active verbs in each description.

Authors Lee Ann Landstrom and Karen Shragg dedicated their careers as naturalists to educating children and families about our natural world. It’s not surprising that they knew which details will grab our attention.

Rachel Rogge makes good use of the ocean’s water palette to illustrate all the sea creatures and their yucky behaviors. An experienced science illustrator, she gets all the wrinkles and scales and fins just right. 

“Did you know …

that Black Swallowers,
those gorging, gluttonous, gassy fish
may eat themselves to death?

Eeewww!! That’s Yucky!”

A descriptive paragraph follows that describes the habits of this fish and the accompanying illustration is really, truly yucky!

Back matter shares a line drawing and fun facts about each fish in the text. 

You know the students who will read and absorb every word of this book. It’s a must for kids, convincing many that reading is oh-so-interesting.