When Lunch Fights Back: Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses

by Rebecca L. Johnson

The octopus spies a nice, tasty mantis shrimp. It swims over for a closer look at the small creature. Then―WHAM!―the mantis shrimp strikes a nasty blow with its hammer-like forelimb. The octopus shrinks back, defeated. That wasn't such an easy meal after all . . .

In nature, good defenses can mean the difference between surviving a predator's attack and becoming its lunch. Some animals rely on sharp teeth and claws or camouflage. But that's only the beginning. Meet creatures with some of the strangest defenses known to science. How strange? Hagfish that can instantaneously produce oodles of gooey, slippery slime; frogs that poke their own toe bones through their skin to create claws; young birds that shoot streams of stinking poop; and more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Childrens, Nature

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lunch Fights Back
Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses
by Rebecca L. Johnson
This book is such a blast! Animals with wicked and unpredictable weapons such as super stinky and super sticky vomit, ultra gross shooting poo, nasty tasting blood they shoot out of their eyes and more! How great is that? Why don't humans have such cool tricks? This is an audible book and the narrator was terrific! She explained things well and in a clear, crisp voice! This was made for middle age kids but I think all ages, even old ladies like me, will get a kick out of it! Informative and entertaining! Win/win!
Thanks NetGalley for letting me listen to this wonderful book!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From poison and claws to more subtle means of protection, many animals have defense mechanisms that can pack a wallop!

I listened to the audio book version of When Lunch Fights Back. It was a fun & informative listen! The book is geared toward middle grade kids, but is enjoyable for adults as well. About an hour in length, the listening time is perfect for listening during short trips (I listened on my commute to work) or as supplemental work in a classroom setting. I can see this book being entertaining for reluctant readers (listeners) or students curious about biology/science. The narrator does a great job of keeping things interesting! She reads at a nice pace, getting the facts across but letting the humor and excitement shine through her performance.

I'm definitely now hooked on these short audio books about science for kids. Always well done and perfect listening length for my daily commute to work. It's nice to start my day out with an interesting topic that isn't too heavy or negative. This is the first book I have read by Rebecca L. Johnson. She has written many science related books for kids about all sorts of subjects -- deserts, forests, the tundra, etc. I'm definitely on the lookout for more audio books of her work!

**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audio book from Lerner Audiobooks. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dibs on booktalking this in Thurston County next May. You all did Zombie Makers anyway. ;)
---
Yup, killer. Fantastic, the kids loved it. Whoever's doing Johnson's graphic design/layout is spot-on. All the kids wanted to hear me talk about it, and I talked about poisonous vomit, not projectile poop, insta-snot, tiny punchers, or hidden claws.
Loved it, yes, essential for libraries serving kids who want high appeal nonfiction. The "Science behind the story" is particularly awesome.

I'm trying to remember if there's a single thing wrong with this.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slime. Mucous. Claws. Projectile poop and so much more....

A fascinating and informative read about animals and their defenses that keep them from being another dinner!

Even though this is obviously aimed at middle school age readers, as an adult I found it both educational and enjoyable. I didnt know some of these creatures even existed!

"The science behind the story " is pretty awesome and I love that its included.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lunch fights Back Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses is about how some animals use their bodies to defend themselves against predators and the sacrifices those who live in colonies make for those colonies. It was fascinating to learn of the numerous ways and techniques animals use to protect themselves and their colonies and their little ones.

What I liked about When Lunch fights Back Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses is I learned about animals I never knew existed. A fascinating and informative read.

[The Styling Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lunch Fights Back – Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses by Rebecca L. Johnson – Non-fiction – 3rd grade and up – Fantastic formatting in this book. Loved the contents- slip-sliming away, concealed weapons, toxic bubbles, master blasters, knockout punch, here’s blood in your eye, of bullies and bait, and meet my bodyguards… they really pull a reader through. Especially science behind the story.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ingenious Animal and Insect Defenses

Audiobook Review:
The "lunch" referred to in the title is the animal or insect that is typically the prey of a larger animal. This book shares a look at why they DON'T become lunch. Nature has certainly devised some unique defenses! For each animal or insect highlighted, the child learns their scientific name, geographical range, and interesting facts about what precisely they do to ward off predators. Each even tells how the defenses work in a brief "story." This book is certainly for children who love gross stuff as well as science, as some of these critters use slime, poop, vomit, and even blood as a defense. One that I found interesting is a plant that uses wasps to protect itself. The narrator is clear and has a pleasant voice. She sounds like she herself is interested in the topic. I would imagine that this would go better with the eBook or physical book so a child could see all the pictures of the various animals and insects. A creepy but fascinating book.

I received a free copy of this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Birds that can shoot deadly vomit 6 feet; Newts that can, like Wolverine, push sharpened bones through their skin, only better than Wolverine, their bones drip poison; and fish that can choke a shark with gobs of slime that fill the predator's mouth and gills: these are only three of the amazing animal defenses you'll discover in When Lunch Fights Back. Two page spreads with color photographs outline the dramatic defenses, followed by another two pages that detail the science behind the story. An index, source notes, a glossary, selected bibliography, photo credits and books, websites and videos for more information complete this fascinating package, perfect for anyone not allergic to ick.
Add in Johnson's excellent Zombie Makers and Masters of Disguise for a trifecta of insanely cool, decidedly gross, examples of astonishing evolutionary biology.

[B.A. Malisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was worried that I would be missing a lot by not having the pictures, but this was still interesting and informative. I ended up Googling some of the creatures, so I could see what they looked like, which worked out great.

The narrator had a good voice, easy to understand but still dynamic and engaging.

This had lots of wickedly fascinating facts. I could see teachers and/or librarians using just a segment of the book at a time to read and discuss with their classes and groups. Overall, it’s a good offering, even when you can’t see the photos, but I bet the pictures and graphics are also fantastic, which means you might want to use this in both formats.

[Darlene Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories about many animals you've probably never read about. Each chapter focuses on one animal and its defense skills. The first spread is a narrative of the skills in use and the second is the science behind the skills. Page numbers and frequent factoids are highlighted by a blood splatter, but they are subtle. Some of the other details do have a mild gross out factor. Glossary and More to Explore in the back matter.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lunch Fights Back contains all the things my fourth-graders love: animals and discussion about gross things like poison, snot, projectile-vomit, and poop! Aside from the gross-factor, the layout of the book was great. The photographs were amazing(ly gross). This one is certainly a new favorite read aloud!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good nonfiction for reluctant readers. I'm a little iffy on some of the narrative introductions, and some of the photographs of the defense strategies could be better (or dare I suggest a diagram-as in how the ribs come out the sides of the body as spines?!) but the ick factor certainly has appeal.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

A governmental bureaucrat earning his lunch with the taxpayer's money. No, these aren't "clever" defenses, this is simply something that proved over time that works. Johnson doesn't get much, but he gets enough to climb the academic ladder to higher pensions.

[Suebee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about engaging (and a bit disgusting) nonfiction for kids! Lizards that shoot blood out of their eyes! Birds that shoot out a poop stream!! This would be a must-purchase for almost any elementary library.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and gross! My fifth graders both hated and loved it! Any book that gets them sharing unbelievable facts with their parents is a win for me!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating information and great photographs.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for young readers. Super engaging. Love the use of narrative and explanatory styles. A provocative choice for future scientists.

[TyMario85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

very fascinating. had to read it slowly, bit by bit, as it was a clas read aloud

[Kiana]

Horrible it won’t let me read it I just hate it 🤬

[Kristi Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the cover of this book does not intrigue elementary age students, I'm not sure what will capture their attention. It is not difficult to save the photographs in this book are amazing. It is difficult to say they are not creepy. From the hagfish (a primitive eel-like animal), which can pick "up the scent of a dead whale from more than 1 mile away"and then secrete slimed fibers when attacked to (my favorite...because I am a TCU fan after all) the Texas Horned Lizard (or TCU Horned Frog) which can squirt blood from his eye into the mouth of a predator when threatened. The following animals are also included in the book: African Hairy Frog, the Spanish Ribbed Newt, Neocapritermes Taracua Termites, Hoopoe, Fulmar, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp (which is pictured on the cover of the book), the Two-Spot Astyanax, and Black Mustard.

The descriptions of each of the animals and their defenses is fabulous, but the best part is the "Science Behind the Story" which follows each of the animals in order to give the reader the why and not just the how. Each animal spotlighted has a color photograph and an information box with the scientific name, distribution (where they live), the habitat, and size of the animal.

There is a table of contents, a note from the author, source notes, a glossary, selected biography, a more to explore section with additional book, web, and video resources, and an index.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the compelling title to the extraordinary illustrations, WHEN LUNCH FIGHTS BACK: WICKEDLY CLEVER ANIMAL DEFENSES by Rebecca L. Johnson is an informational book that immediately grabs the reader’s attention. Even the chapter titles like “slip-sliming away” and “here’s blood in your eye” are designed to shock and entertain.

The author uses a short narrative to introduce each creature. Then, a “science behind the story” segment describes the species’ method of defense featuring a scientist who studies how the defense system works.

Quality photographs and informational boxes bring attention to each featured creature. The glossary at the end of the book defines key vocabulary. Suggested books, websites, and videos are provided to extend the experience.

Aimed at upper elementary grades, this book will fit well into the school library collection. Containing a balance of entertaining narratives along with quality informative segments, it’s is sure to attract a wide range of readers.

To learn more about this author, go to Rebecca L. Johnson’s website at http://www.rebeccajohnsonbooks.com/.

For additional materials related to animal defenses, try the following online resources:
Animal Defenses from PBS LearningMedia - http://goo.gl/6c7WVg
Top 5 Animal Defense Tactics from National Geographic - http://goo.gl/gU9MVB
Animal Arsenal from Fact Monster - http://goo.gl/njFWXQ

ARC NetGalley

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Lunch Fights Back: Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses by Rebecca L. Johnson is a nonfiction book for children. This book introduces readers of all ages to living things with some of the strangest defenses known to science. There are termites that blow themselves up to save the colony, fish that produce copious amounts of slime, lizards that run on water, and much more. Readers that love to learn about nature, animals, and some odd animal abilities will devour this book.


When Lunch Fights Back: Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses is a book that my kids loved. My daughter loves anything animal related and my son loves anything that can be called gross or weird. this book made both of them happy. I think the real photographs along with the explanations of how these defenses take place were very well organized and explained so that young readers can get something out of it while older readers are learning even more and are not bored. Most of these defenses and odd animal abilities were not new to me, but some of the information was. I learned something, as did my children. I think this book can be a regular repeat read for many children.

When Lunch Fights Back: Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses has a good balance of photographs and information. It does not over or underwhelm readers, avoiding boring the older readers or making the younger readers feel left out. this would be a great high interest book for grabbing the attention of nature or oddity loving reluctant readers.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful companion book to Johnson's book Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature's Undead (Exceptional Science Titles for Intermediate Grades) (Junior Library Guild Selection! The set up is the same - a few pages on each species, first with a true story and then with the (understandable) science. The pictures and topic will sell this book to upper elementary kids!

Although this book has an ick factor, it is not as creepy as Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature's Undead (Exceptional Science Titles for Intermediate Grades) (Junior Library Guild Selection. I think that might be a plus for some kids!

Wonderful nonfiction that just might get kids looking for more!

[Laura Salas · Rating 4 out of 5]

High kid-appeal in this one! Reading about the fascinating ways that animals defend themselves is pretty addictive. Strong writing and mostly terrific photos (though there were a couple where I couldn't discern what was happening even with helpful arrows).

Each animal gets two features. In the first one, a present-tense scene plays out between predator and would-be prey. Dramatic language and great tension make these scenes fun to read. In the second spread, The Science Behind the Story, we get more direct, scientific information featuring quotes from a scientific authority as well as an explanation of how the defense works--and often how it was discovered or figured out by scientists. This dual approach works really well.

My only minor gripe was in the hairy frog scenario. The whole scene plays out between frog and otter, but then the caption for the otter photo reveals, "It's likely that these otters try to eat hairy frogs, although scientists have never caught one in the act." That made the scene feel too much like fiction to me.

But overall, a very enjoyable read.

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you could choose a superpower, which would you choose? The animal world has developed such protective powers which are rather unusual but effective tools--how about shooting streams of foul-smelling poop out of your butt straight into your enemy's face. Or you could projectile vomit an odiferously vile and sticky substance with deadly accuracy up to 6 feet away! A little cooler is the peacock mantis shrimp whose forelimbs can smash its enemy with "hammers" at 50 miles per hour in 1.8 milliseconds at well over 200 pounds of force. Who you calling a shrimp?! Closer to the familiar hero Wolverine are the claws which pokes straight through the skin of the African hairy frog and the Spanish ribbed newt, with healing skin to boot just like Hugh Jackman's alter ego!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a librarian perspective, I have students that will LOVE this book. It has awesome pictures and a definite "survival of the fittest" tone that will appeal to the tough and scientific minded. For another opinion, I handed this to my third grade son because he loves animals. He read it voraciously (he reads at a higher level than 3rd grade). I asked him what he liked best about this and he said it was cool to learn about all the different animal defense and proceeded to give me a five minute description of the different types he learned. This is going right on my to-order list for my library!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slime, bone claws, poisonous pustules, blasting poop, sticky vomit, streaming blood.

These are some of the tactics featured that these curious prey animals utilize. A wonderful way to get kids interested in different animals, biodiversity and predator-prey relationships. With bright, colorful pictures and quick, gross descriptions, kids from the ages of 5-12 will love this. The gross-ness is backed up with simple, scientific facts and the cool jobs that go with it. Even one plant is featured. A great book for children who are interested in animals and nature.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Thomas Bourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grades 4-6

I read this book over the last week or so. It's really interesting because it is a nonfiction book about various defense mechanisms that help them survive. While each animal described only has about a page or so, they are each given a narrative story that is very interesting.

I would use this in a reading lesson about not judging books by their covers/titles as the cover and title (without the subtitle, which is more clear) of this make it look more like it is about animals attacking rather than their survival mechanisms. In addition, it is good introductory nonfiction as it is not biographical but instead reads like a series of articles.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

On page one, the author mentions planet Xenon and defending oneself against hungry aliens. I thought I was in the wrong book, but this was Rebecca Johnson's brilliant way of hooking child video fanatics into reading non-fiction. As if the cover and title, "When Lunch Fights Back", hadn't already done that.

This book is filled with fascinating photos and intriguing facts about animals and their unique defense mechanisms. My only criticism is that the book ended way before I was ready to stop learning.

[Kirsten Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

In When Lunch Fights Back, this nonfiction book for children explores several anti-predator adaptations, providing a short narrative describing the animal's defense, followed by a brief scientific explanation. While Johnson achieves the gross-out appeal that reluctant readers and upper elementary and middle school boys embrace, the text feels abbreviated and leaves more advanced readers wanting more information. In addition, some of the photographs are unclear and difficult to interpret. This title joins the already bloated 590s, notable only for its extreme eww factor.

Ages 8-11