Animals That Make Me Say Ewww! (National Wildlife Federation)

Description

Prepare to be grossed out by an engaging and unique look at some of the more disgusting survival techniques from the animal kingdom. That's so gross! From blood-squirting reptiles to blood-sweating mammals to nose-picking primates, learn about some of the most disgusting creatures in the animal kingdom. Author Dawn Cusick and the National Wildlife Federation compile a volume as attractive as its subject is disgusting.

As America's conservation organization, The National Wildlife Federation is a voice for wildlife, dedicated to protecting wildlife and habitat and inspiring the future generation of conservationists. Dawn Cusick writes award-winning children's nature nonfiction books recognized for their quality by the National Science Teacher's Association, the Animal Behavior Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her books include, Animal Snacks, Animal Tongues, Animals That Make Me Say OUCH!, and more. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

In the third book in a Ranger Rick-branded series, written in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, photographs show wild animals in their more uncouth moments. Cusick invites readers to revel in being grossed out while also encouraging them to rethink animal behavior. Gorillas eat their own "nasal detritus" because "there is so much competition for food in the wild that the small amount of energy in a booger is worth eating." Meanwhile, hippos swat their tails in circles while they poop, "sending feces flying in many directions. Pooping this way lets them send their communication chemicals farther away." For every icky description of, say, how a kangaroo mother cleans her pouch with her tongue ("There's no toilet flush button in a kangaroo mom's pouch"), Cusick's insights into animal biology offer a valuable counterpoint. -Publishers Weekly