Brighton, UK: Franklin Watts, an imprint of Scholastic, 2018
Finally! A book for elementary students with a scientific reason not to pick your nose, with lots of other snotty facts and information. MacDonald lays out the story about mucus, colds, allergies, and all things stuffy-nosed into large print paragraphs. She packs even more information into dialogue boxes, side bars, and labeled illustrations. Funny captions (What does snot say about you?) keep the pages turning and the mucus flowing.
Fans of gross stuff will love the “Disgusting Data” boxes sprinkled with “Fascinating Facts” and dialogue boxes from a diverse group of doctors throughout. Some of the double-page spreads seem a bit too cluttered, but those who like a very full look will be satisfied with all the different elements to look at on a page.
The Science of Snot and Phlegm is one of the Series of the Body set, which includes The Science of Acne and Warts: The Itchy Truth About Skin; The Science of Poop and Farts: The Smelly Truth About Digestion; and The Science of Scabs and Pus: The Sticky Truth About Blood. This set might be a good humorous addition to an elementary school collection with a solid collection of human body books. It could also be a good option for those hard-to-find books with subject matter that advanced younger readers will find interesting. Includes a Glossary and an Index.
Dewey: 612.2 Interest Level: Grades 3-6
Reviews and Awards: None.
Younger readers might like: Boy Were We Wrong About the Human Body by Kathleen V. Kudlinski (illus. Debbie Tilley).
Middle school readers might like: Understanding the Brain (Amazing Human Body series) from Enslow Publishing.
Older students might like: Human Movement: How the Body Walks, Runs, Jumps, and Kicks by Carla Mooney (illus. Samuel Carbaugh).
Fiction pairing: Frankenstein: Retold from the Mary Shelley Original by Deanna McFadden (Illus. Jamel Akib).
On the Web: LiLI.org: World Book Student – The Human Body.