What Breathes Through Its Butt?: Mind-Blowing Science Questions Answered

by Emily Grossman, Alice Bowsher (Illustrator)

Overview

A funny and interactive book that explains the surprising science behind everyday kid questions.

Why is your elbow called your funny bone? How could you escape the grip of a crocodile's jaw? Which animal can breathe through its butt? Can an egg bounce? How can a giraffe's ridiculously long neck contain the same number of bones as a human's? How much does the internet weigh?

This book uncovers the amazing scientific explanations behind all sorts of questions that can pop into our heads, exploring facts ranging from how dogs' urine can glow under UV light to why the center of the universe might taste like raspberries.

With a delightful graphic format, featuring black and white illustrations throughout, the text's interactive style invites readers to engage in science facts and thinking as they guess answers to questions and make links between different scientific concepts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547616121
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	11/05/2024
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.75(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

About the Author

Emily Grossman loves science: she's an expert in molecular biology and genetics with a PhD in cancer research. She is a broadcaster, author, educator and trainer. She has been named as the second Honorary STEM Ambassador for her work in education and has become a YouTube sensation thanks to her video How to Stop Yourself Being Ticklish. She lives in London, England.
emilygrossman.co.uk
@DrEmilyGrossman

Alice Bowsher is an animator and the illustrator of the Natural History Museum's Jungle, Ocean, Forest, and African Animals. She lives in London, England.
alicebowsher.co.uk
@alicebowsher

Editorial Reviews

A compendium for the naturally curious, this humorous nonfiction book . . . will certainly fly off the shelves.” —School Library Connection, starred review

“An outstanding question-and-answer science book filled with delightful facts that will engage young readers. . . . A must-read for every curious child.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“A block-printed narrative strewn with bolded words and accompanied by simple, thick-lined cartoon illustrations reflect the irreverent tone of this quirky Q&A.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

★ 10/01/2020

Gr 3–7—Grossman provides an outstanding question-and-answer science book filled with delightful facts that will engage young readers. Thirty questions with four optional answers are featured. On the path to the correct answer, Grossman shares additional facts about related topics, all of which lead to the mind-blowing correct answer. For example, in the section "What part of your body can't feel any pain?," the text before the answer states, "The skin on the end of your elbow, called the wenis, is so thick and tough that it contains practically no nerve endings or pain receptors." The format results in a reading experience that feels like a silly story rather than a collection of random facts. Kids will laugh at the jokes and humor; sections about poop and other gross facts will appeal to reluctant readers. Bowsher's fantastic illustrations, which include children with darker skin tones and textured hair, bring each fact to life and add energy to the absorbing text. Text bubbles and an eye-catching layout make the information attractive. A table of contents is included. VERDICT A must-read for every curious child; purchase for all libraries.—Katherine Rao, Palos Verdes Lib. Dist., CA

School Library Journal

2020-08-25
Scientific inquiry served up in a witty, visual style, with enough fart jokes to satisfy any young reader.

Even kids who are not turned on by a traditional science curriculum will be inspired by this approach. The author’s intention of making science friendly and accessible to different learning styles is immediately apparent from the quiz-show format. The book includes 30 attention-grabbing questions, each presented with four possible answers, encouraging readers to consider and speculate. The questions include the one used for the title and such intriguing puzzlers as “Which creature had the strongest bite ever?” and “How long would you need to fart to produce gas with the equivalent energy of an atomic bomb?” In a chatty, kid-friendly style similar to that of the Magic School Bus series, the author, a popular British scientist, youth science advocate, and TV personality, encourages children to ask questions and not be afraid of making mistakes. Each question is presented comic-book style in a speech bubble followed by several pages of in-depth facts about the topic. This highly illustrated volume is visually arresting, with striking, thick-lined, grayscale art taking up the majority of each page. The varied typeface uses bold and all caps for emphasis, and the text is often laid out creatively, such as within the open jaws of a crocodile. Ethnic diversity is indicated in the drawings.

Sure to hook those who already love science—and lure in skeptics. (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews