Get the Scoop on Animal Snot, Spit & Slime!

October 1, 2016
Cusick floats a slick, select gallery of natures spitters, nose-pickers, oozers, and slimersmost but not all nonhumanatop nourishing globs of scientific information. Title notwithstanding, the book is limited just to mucus and saliva. Following introductory looks at the major components of each, Cusick describes their often similar uses in naturein swallowing or expelling foreign matter, fighting disease, predation and defense, camouflage, travel, communication (Arent you glad humans use words to communicate?), home construction, nutrition, and more. All of this is presented in easily digestible observations placed among, and often referring to, color photos of slime-covered goby fish, a giraffe with its tongue up its nose, various drooling animals, including a white infant, and like photogenic subjects. Two simple experiments cater to hands-on types, but any readers who take delight in sentences like Some fungus beetles eat snail slime mucus come away both stimulated and informed. What better way to make natural history slide down easily? (index) (Nonfiction. 8-10)

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January 1, 2017

Gr 3 Up-Using colorful photos, short paragraphs, and a well-organized format, this book on the nastier bits of animal biology will be a fun read for all. Kids will learn about the importance of mucus for the eyes, skin, and digestion of a variety of beasts, such as elephants and sea lions. The importance of slime and spit, including their role in protecting prey from their predators, will surprise readers. Subjects that often provoke laughter in children are presented in an informative, straightforward manner that reveals the amazing abilities of many domestic and wild creatures. VERDICT Consider for collections where students can't get enough gross animal facts.-Denise Moore, formerly at O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2016
Grades 3-5 Snot, spit, and slime: the discerning adult might be grossed out, but kids will be hooked by just the title. As she did with previous series volumes (Get the Scoop on Animal Puke, 2014), Cusick focuses on the biology of the yuckier side of the animal kingdom. This volume first explores different kinds of mucus: some frogs use sticky mucus to grip trees, and clownfish use mucus defensively to protect themselves from stinging anemones. The second half focuses on spit: kangaroos use saliva to protect themselves from heat, while spitting cobras spray defensive venom. Marine and reptilian critters abound, although there are plenty of mucousy mammals (including humans) to be found. There's little organization, but photos of nose-picking, eyeball-licking animals and reptiles, placed simply over a white background, are a draw. Information is often cursory, and a list of secondary sources would have aided the more curious reader, who will undoubtedly be hooked by the weird trivia and interesting images, but this is a solid introduction with icky appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
The ewww factor may attract (or repel) readers to this analysis of spit and mucus. But beyond just yucky stuff, readers will learn some animal chemistry: mucins are produced by "goblet cells" (collocytes) and function as digestive aids, moisturizers, and lubricants; saliva aids animal digestion, protects teeth, and more. Brief, colloquial paragraphs are interspersed with many (overly small) photos on each spread. Glos., ind.

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