Would You Rather? Junior: That's So Gross! Edition: Funny, Smelly, Slimy, Disgusting, Yucky Questions that Make You Say Eww!

by Zeitgeist

Giggle with your child at 200+ gross “Would You Rather?” questions for ages 5–8.

Most young kids love talking about burps, farts, rotten eggs, and used tissues, and parents are taken along for the (pretty gross) ride. So why not turn their fascination with yucky details into a fun—and funny!—conversation with your little one? These “Would You Rather?” questions are written just for kids ages 5–8 and their parents. Whether you’re choosing between playing with toys covered in vomit or pee, or living in a house filled with used Band-Aids or Q-tips (eww!), Would You Rather? That’s So Gross! Edition turns the revolting into something to relish with your child.
Digest over 200 entertaining “Would You Rather?” questions that will make your child laugh, think, and stay off screens.Engage your child’s imagination with funny, age-appropriate questions for the younger crowd.Help your child read with engaging questions in a large font designed for early readers.Laugh and bond with your child over the gross questions and your funny answers.Makes the perfect gift for birthdays and holidays for the children in your life.This second book in our Would You Rather? Junior series—like all the books in the popular Would You Rather? companion series for older kids—is creative, hilarious fun for the whole family!

Genres: Childrens

128 pages, Paperback

Published June 10, 2025

Reviews

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a blast reading this with my 12 year old and his baby sister. She is only 3 so she didn't really understand a lot of what she was answering, just that they seemed weird and funny. Some of the prompts are very silly and others are nasty but they all lead to some serious laughs and an overall good time with family.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Would You Rather? Junior: That’s So Gross! Edition
By Zeitgeist
Rating: 4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overview
Would You Rather? Junior: That’s So Gross! Edition is a hilariously revolting interactive book designed for children aged 5–8. Packed with over 200 absurd, slimy, and downright disgusting questions, this edition capitalizes on kids’ love for all things icky while encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and laughter. With its playful tone and engaging format, it’s perfect for family read-alouds, classroom icebreakers, or solo giggles.

Strengths
Perfect for Reluctant Readers & Energetic Kids
The book’s short, punchy questions (e.g., “Would you rather eat a sandwich with hairy mold or drink a smoothie with worms?”) demand no reading stamina, making it ideal for young or reluctant readers. The interactive nature keeps fidgety kids engaged, akin to popular participatory books like Tap the Magic Tree or Dear Zoo.

Promotes Social-Emotional Learning
Beneath the gross-out humor, the questions subtly teach decision-making and empathy. Kids debate hypotheticals, defend their choices (“Why is worm smoothie worse than moldy bread?”), and learn to articulate preferences—a sneaky boost to communication skills.

Universal Kid Appeal
The humor aligns perfectly with the 6–8-year-old demographic, who relish “eww”-inducing scenarios (as evidenced by parental praise for similar titles like Lemmings! and The Book with No Pictures). The variety ensures repeatability without boredom.

Inclusive & Accessible Design
Bright, bold text and minimal illustrations (focusing on the questions) make it easy for early readers to navigate independently. The lack of complex vocabulary ensures inclusivity for diverse reading levels.

Weaknesses

Limited Educational Depth
While fun, the book doesn’t integrate factual content (e.g., science behind why mold is gross) that could enrich learning. Pairing it with nonfiction about germs or animals might enhance its value.

Parental Fatigue Risk
Some adults may find the relentless gross-out humor exhausting after multiple reads, though kids will likely demand repeats.

Comparative Perspective
Compared to other humor-driven children’s books, this title stands out for its pure, uncomplicated focus on kid-centric disgusting dilemmas. It lacks the narrative depth of The Stinky Cheese Man or the visual chaos of Captain Underpants, but its simplicity is its strength—zero setup required for instant engagement.

Final Verdict
A 4.5/5 for delivering exactly what it promises: side-splitting, gross-themed fun that kids adore. While not a literary masterpiece, it’s a highly effective tool for bonding, laughter, and light critical thinking.

Best for: Families, teachers, and librarians seeking a low-stakes, high-reward book to energize young readers. Pair with hand sanitizer for maximum effect.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that wants to be as laughably, ridiculously child-friendly gross as it can, but that seems to accidentally turn out to be quite educational – as long as a passing adult can join in. Take the first section, asking us which of two things we'd rather eat, this unlikely thing, or that unlikely thing? Well, the adult can educate on at least three things from these pages alone, one of them being of course what we should not be eating out of these options (hello, soap). Also, when both options are unlikely but one is a combination nobody sane has actually tried before, we can at least point out the safety of that – hence there is a logical conclusion to make. And when it says would you rather eat "a spoonful of pepper, or raw egg?" you can bring geography into things, and point out how the latter is still an option for some French people, if not in many other places around the world.

And so it goes on – "would you rather touch rotten food or smell it?" can of course be a hygiene lesson, for one. And I know that that applies to so many books – they could be better and more informative if an adult came free to walk you through them and tell you more, but none have given me that sense as strongly as this did here – and certainly not where it's despite (or is it because of?) it wanting to appear so naughty. OK, some of this is irredeemably silly (clown excreta, for one), and much of it is just grammatically weak, but this is a decent – if quickly browsed – selection of daffy quandaries. Just don't try much of it at home.

[P.L. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a few Would You Rather? books that I take with me each week to youth group. You never know when you'll need something to spark dsicussion for a few minutes or to use as an ice breaker. They work perfectly for times like that. So I was thrilled to see this boook come across my desk. I was excited to have the opportunity to review it and add it to my youth ministry collection of resources! And being a gross edition, it is perfect! Nothing elicits responses and laughter like something yucky and disgusting. This volume includes over 200 this or that questions that are sure to make you squeamish. For example, included in the book are the following:  Would you rather chew on a cricket or a slug?  Would you rather see rainbows when your friend farts or glitter?  Would you rather lick a finger that's been up your nose or in your ear? Some of the questions made me laugh (like the rainbows and glitter) while others truly icked me out. Regardless, it is perfect for any age! It may be written for ages five through eight, but my husband and I laughed as we went through page after page, then giggled all the more when our older children (who are 18 and 21) also dug in, laughing as they went through the same questions together. It was a ton of fun for our family  and I can't wait to take it to youth group on Wednesday for our first night with our incoming sixth grade girls!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for the gifted book, @penguinrandomhouse! The review is my honest opinion

Such a fun concept! Would you rather:

- Have potatoes growing out of your ears or green beans out of your nose?

- Sweat, peanut butter or sweat jelly?

- Comb a skunk or give a pig a bath?

True to its tagline — “Funny, smelly, slimy, disgusting, yucky questions that make you say ewww!“ — some of the questions are gross, with a fair amount of bathroom humor. For example, would you rather:

- Heat clapping every time you poop or see fireworks every time you poop?

- Have farts that sound like music or have farts that sound like a train?

- Walk behind a farting cloud or walk behind a pooping goat?

I can confirm that little kids definitely find these hysterical. It’s up to the adults whether this is the kind of language you want in your house, lol.

I’m finding this fun when the little ones need to be cheered up, or just as something silly to do. Our littles have also started making up their own, for better or worse!


Thanks for the gifted book, @penguinrandomhouse @zeitgeistpublishing! The review is my honest opinion

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not Would You Rather's best work. About 1/3 of the questions we had to skip and 1/3 weren't even that 'gross' for a 5 year old.

My kid really enjoyed questions like: 'Would you rather have potatoes growing out of your ears or green beans out of your nose?' and 'Would you rather find unicorn poop in your backyard or reindeer poop?'. One of their favorites that they wished would actually happen was 'Would you rather find a worm in your backpack or a snail in your shoe?'

I chose to skip questions that would 'other' a lot of common things that happen to people; I found it in really poor taste to include things that ask kids if they would rather have holey shirts or underwear when for a lot of kids it's not their fault they have clothes like this. Especially ones that often come with medical complications like 'would you rather have scabs all over your legs or big red bumps'.

While I've recommended previous editions before, I cannot in good conscious recommend this one. I think it would have been better to do a novella style or have this be a section in another edition.

[Jessica Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a hit with kids who love a mix of humor and just the right amount of "eww!" factor. My children read it alongside their cousins (ages 8 to 14), and it was an absolute joy listening to their reactions. Their conversation was filled with laughter, shock, and surprisingly thoughtful discussion about some of the more outrageous moments.
What makes this book special is its replay value—it's the kind of read that kids will want to revisit with different groups, whether it's family gatherings or car rides to practice with friends. Each new reading brings fresh reactions and conversations, making it a fantastic choice for kids who enjoy books that are both entertaining and interactive. If you're looking for something fun, delightfully disgusting, and sure to get kids talking, this one is a must-have!

[Alesa Bernat · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 8 and 10 year old boys thought this book was hysterical. There are not many visuals within the book, but as an ebook it works great to keep a kid entertained for a few minutes. My boys found it funny to read while waiting at the barber shop. I am a speech-language pathologist with children in grades K-12. I think it would be fun to pull this out as a conversation starter or an end-of-session "free time". It has way more pages than I expected, and you could definitely get good use out of it for a variety of purposes, if you spread reading the questions out throughout the year. I would recommend it as a great book to add some silly time to a long car trip as well. I would have liked some added visuals or an interactive element on the ebook version.

Thank you to Zeitgeist and Penguin Random House for the advanced reader copy.

[Casey Densmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book because it looked like a good book to add to my classroom library. I love "Would You Rather" questions and do them often in my classroom. It opens up some great discussion and helps build relationships. This book is organized by topic - food, animals, senses, disgusting, and eww. These are definitely icky like, "Would you rather eat a cookie that fell in cat vomit or mouse poop?" There are some pretty good ones in this book that would keep your child entertained for hours. If you think farts, poop, and gross things are funny - this is the book for you!

Thank you Zeitgeist and Zeitgeist | Z Kids for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book via NetGalley! This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went through the questions with my almost 7-year-old, very adhd son. Pro-tip: Would you rather books can stop a meltdown in its tracks. He's very reflective and took some time to answer some of the questions. Some he refused to answer, and some he answered with an "are you a complete idiot?" tone of voice. I told him I would rather pick up horse poop with my feet because I don't want anything like that to touch my feet. I felt that the gross factor was comparable between horse poop and elephant poop. Until he pointed out that elephant poop is much bigger. Which I felt was a valid point. This is not the kind of book that most adults would appreciate, but I do recommend it if you're looking to connect with a child.

[Alexis Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I played this game/read this book with my husband and my 3 kids (ages 3, 6, and 8). We all got a good laugh from this and were equally grossed out. There are themed sections such as “food fight, icky animals, five foul senses, disgusting inside and out, and everyday eww.” The nastiest chapter was probably “Disgusting inside and out” (think vomit, pee, poop, snot, etc.). This was a fun way to hang out together as a family. Thank you NetGalley and Zeitgeist for the opportunity to read and review this title.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so much fun! As a side note it is also really informative while also being (as described) hilariously gross. It kept my son & niblings incredibly entertained as we all read it together. There was lots of ewwwwws and so gross exclamations while simultaneously laughing and giggles. It's the perfect way to teach kids, because they want to keep reading, if only just to find out the next gross fact.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

WE keep a pad of WOULD YOU RATHER in every vehicle and I carry one in my purse. These are the ultimate tool to turn a bored group of children into a smiling, laughing group. I have yet to find a child who did not love them or a parent who did not appreciate seeing their children engaged within a group activity. No couch potatoes here!!!

[Sally Wilsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though the questions are really gross I can see the appeal for children.This also opens up conversations and asking why certain answers are picked. You and your family will laugh a lot and even make up your own would you rather questions. Lots of fun for the whole family.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter loved this. She’s been so hooked on Would You Rather questions lately. Of course, the gross ones are even better 🤣. She would have preferred there been pictures to go with the choices but overall, a silly and fun read. Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Lucien · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom and I decided to read this book for laughs. It was funny, gross, and surprising. Overall we had a good time reading this and found the choices in this book hilarious.

[Smut Goblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would You Rather? Junior: That’s So Gross! Edition is an outrageously fun and interactive book that young readers will absolutely adore. Packed with over 200 hilariously gross scenarios, it’s perfect for sparking laughter and imaginative thinking in kids aged 5–8. From silly bathroom humor to wildly imaginative dilemmas, this book captivates young minds while encouraging critical thinking and conversation. Whether used during family game nights, car trips, or classroom icebreakers, it’s guaranteed to entertain with its playful, accessible format and kid-approved ick factor. A must-have for families and educators looking to bond over giggles and gross-out fun!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Zeitgeist for the eARC!