The Truth about Poop

by Susan E. Goodman, Elwood H. Smith (Illustrator)

Did you know that sharks produce spiral poop? That the average Japanese woman uses 2 1/2 miles of toilet paper a year? That when wolverines are done feeding on a dead animal, they save the rest for later by defecating all over it?

Those gross and fascinating facts can be found in The Truth about Poop, an informative and funny book that will take readers from life before toilet paper to the most modern toilets, from poop games to poop used in warfare, from cow chips to insect droppings. Acclaimed nonfiction author Susan Goodman covers many facets of a subject children just love to read about, and Elwood Smith's humorous illustrations add a lively slant to a book that's already brimming with fun and information.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Juvenile, History

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Susan E. Goodman is the author of more than thirty nonfiction books for children, including How Do You Burp in Space?; See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House;All in Just One Cookie, an ALA Notable Book; and On This Spot, a Washington Post Top Picture Book of the Year. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

from https://us.macmillan.com/author/susan...

see also http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/sgo...

Reviews

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Category: Non-fiction Book #1

I use this book at the beginning of the year to get kids to start responding to literature. I give the kids sticky notes and tell them that ANYTHING that pops into their heads is okay to write down including; "gross," "that's sick," etc. If I can get their head around what they are thinking (metacognition) with something that easily evokes emotion, then the responses come more easily later on when the content gets more difficult.

The book gives factual information about bodily functions in great detail and it's presented in a kid-friendly, cartoon-like format.

Critic Review from Barnes and Noble.com:
- School Library Journal
Gr 2-5-Chock-full of intriguing, gross, and bizarre facts about animal and human excrement, Goodman's free-range text discusses everything from Tyrannosaurus rex dung to the evolution of toilet paper. The three main sections outline animal elimination practices, the processes of human excretion and plumbing, and helpful uses for poop (e.g., for fertilizer or scientific research). While the quirky organization and lack of an index may not make this a useful resource for research, the subject matter will capture kids' attention and draw reluctant readers. Even though the cover illustration of an elephant on a chamber pot may make browsers think it is a potty-training book, the rest of Smith's retro cartoons in muted colors provide humor without being too gross. This is Taro Gomi's Everyone Poops (Kane/Miller, 1995) for the "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic) set.-Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

[Cameron Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has every interesting fact you need to know about poop in it. From how much poop women in Japan use a year to how babies who sit in their poop will grow more. It is weird, interesting, and a tad bit gross. I think it is just weird enough but does not cross the line. It has a lot of words on each page so I would say it is for children from age 7 to 11. This non-fiction book is one I would probably put in my classroom. I am sure that the kids would get a good laugh out of it while learning new and interesting facts.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, it's a book about poop. I read it. I liked it. Guess I just felt like a short break from my other reading. Truth about Poop lets you in on more than you need to know about poop. If kids (or adults) feel like learning about this, then this book should satisfy any curiosity. It's short. It's fun. It's a book about poop.

[Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in my G.T class in 5th grade and it was HILARIOUS!!!!!!

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Truth about Poop
Susan E. Goodman

(2015 Blue Stem Nominee Award Winner)

The Truth about Poop is a book about exactly what the title says.. and that is poop! Of course this may seem silly but I honestly found this book very informative. The book talks about the different species from animals like rabbits to bugs like the crab spider and how they poop. The book also mentions the ABCs of elimination which I think is pretty self explanatory (digestion, waste management system, etc). Other subjects that are mentioned are the history of the toilet, toilet paper and how it was made and where the poop goes when you flush. I would personally be cautious about reading this aloud to students in the fact that it will cause lots of laughter but I do think it is a good informational book to have available in the classroom. I give it a 4 out of 5 rating in the fact that it is informative in many ways but the content of the book might be hard for students in a classroom to be comfortable enough with to take seriously.

[SaraKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming book loaded with fantastic facts about poop. The fun facts and explanations were great, but the illustrations along with them elevated the book to a 5 for me. I am definitely going to use this in my classroom when we do digestive system stuff, adaptations, or energy pyramids. I had no idea that humans had such fun playing with and making things out of poop. I was amused by the reference to wolverines pooping on their leftovers to keep others from eating it since that is my school's mascot--the kids will love that one. I also thought the nobleman who advised his son to carry a cheap poetry book to use as toilet paper after reading the page was genius! The page on pooping in space was hilarious and even mentions Newton's 3rd law and how astronauts need to strap themselves to the toilet so that the poop or farts don't send them flying. he he he.

[Taya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The inside cover of this book was very interesting. I would have thought that they would have filled it with pictures of their various characters doing ridiculous activities, but instead they filled it top to bottom with random sentences and facts from the book. I am not quite sure if I like this better or not, but it is definitely different. I think I would have preferred the pictures, simply because of the nature of the book and its silly approach with the illustrations. The title page, on the other hand, does follow the picture approach. I am not sure if I would put this book in a classroom setting simply because students may become inappropriate with it, but I can definitely see it as being interesting to younger children.

[Jourdan Aanenson]

This book is about many different ways poop can be used, how much should be deposited every day and what is healthy and what is not.

This book has tons of great information to help children get more knowledge about what poop can be used for. It gives information on animals and how they use their poop and such. This is a great tool to use in the classroom for research ideas or other group activites. The pictures that go along with the words are great because they show what is going on in the words. For smaller children this is great because it can give them a visual of what is being read to them. The end pages are great because it has many different fun facts about poop. This is something that lures people in to read this book.

[the boss is awesome · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good but it just said too much about how we don't like to talk about poop and stuff which I think you could mention it once or twice in one book especially one like this, but not once or twice on every page! I liked that it showed some harmful poop too because the first 3\4 of the book it talked about how poop is used or was used in good ways. I think that the people in some countries in Africa are not so smart because they use their left hand to wipe not toilet paper. Also whats with using ure left hand. (Lefties rule and rights drool)* and **

*Thank u for reading this review written by the awesome man. (By the way if ure a lefty ure awesome)*


**Not counting my dog, by the way she's in college in Oxford

[Joanne Zienty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, you just know this book is going to be fun... and be enjoyed immensely by elementary students of a certain age. The title alone... and the fact that I, their school librarian, was willing to say it aloud -- in the middle of the library -- was enough to set a gaggle of 4th grade boys into fits of laughter, the kind that makes your belly hurt and leaves you gasping for breath. Well, beyond that ... there's plenty of information to be garnered amidst the hilarity. This is on the 2015 ISLMA Bluestem list and I think it's going to win a lot of votes. Fabulous illustrations kick up the hijinx a double notch...

[Kelly Sommers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has every interesting fact you need to know about poop in it. From how much poop women in Japan use a year to how babies who sit in their poop will grow more. It is weird, interesting, and a tad bit gross. I think it is just weird enough but does not cross the line. It has a lot of words on each page so I would say it is for children from age 7 to 11. This non-fiction book is one I would probably put in my classroom. I am sure that the kids would get a good laugh out of it while learning new and interesting facts.

[Victoria Salzmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nonfiction classic helps kids understand their body and answers some of their questions that others feel uncomfortable answering. This book is all about poop. It gives many random facts and helpful answers to the human body. It is a book full of information as well as humor. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it was quiet humorous. There was no specific theme in this book because it wasn't in a story format, but was more informational. This book is a middle elementary read due to the word count and prior knowledge needed before a child picks up this book.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Truth About Poop has a ton of humor in it, but is really very educational. It is amazing how different cultures and generations have viewed this normal bodily function. In addition, animals of all kinds have their own unique way of using it for their purposes of living.

The chapter titles are amusing:

"Birds Do It, Bees Do It"
"The ABCS of Elimination"
"Useful Poop"
"Afterword: The Poop on Poop"

This book has been popular in our library since it first appeared on the shelf...now, being a Bluestem Nominee for 2015, it will only get more exposure! HA!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I wouldn't call it a delightful read, but it was...interesting. I certainly learned a few things. And it answered a question that my sister and I have had about bears in hibernation. Overall, it was a balanced look at poop, covering both its beneficial uses and its unwholesome aspects. And to think I'd never have known about this book if it hadn't been for Warren (or Walter). Thanks, boy!

[Hannah Morrison]

I was surprised at the amount of information I learned from this book. Possibly the best 20 cents I've spent at a thrift store recently. The kids I nanny love it because they think it's going to be gross every time, but really they love to talk about that archaeologists have recently found fossilized T. Rex droppings. I would probably not use this for whole group instruction, but I don't see a reason to not have it in a classroom.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading about this book in the text for class I couldn't resist checking it out. Would make a great book for late elementary students. All aspects of the book are true, the only concerning part of the book is when they describe the time when there was no toliet paper and people would use Sear & Roebuck catalogues but would remove the women's lingerie pages (could be interpreted for use for masturbation) or just because mothers didn't want to want their sons looking at these images.

[Erin Saflarski · Rating 1 out of 5]

This informative non-fiction is a captivating book full of very fascinating facts about poop. This book explores all about this subject we try to politely avoid and explain the astounding occurrences happening in the digestive tracts of people and living things everywhere. This book was full of so many interesting facts accompanied by hilarious illustrations. This book might be appropriate for children ages 7-11.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Truth About Poop by Susan E. Goodman is an excellent example that non-fiction can be as enjoyable as fiction. This 2015 Bluestem nominee packs tons of random facts about poop into its short 40 pages. Many of these facts are rather shocking and I found myself gasping and laughing out loud as I read along. This book is well-written, well-researched, easily accessible for the age group, and lots of fun.

[Duane · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who is interested in finding out the "dirt" on poop, this is a excellent resource. With funny illustrations and a simple writing style, the reader will find out all the real information about why we poop, what we can do with poop, and even funny trivia about fun facts about poop. A great book for beginner readers.

[Rahmadiyanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kagum, topik "poop" bisa ditulis dengan begitu informatif tapi juga enak banget dibaca dan kocak. Hilarious. Dari sejarah abad ke abad, kenapa kita harus poop, beda cara poop di antara berbagai bangsa, sampai cara poopnya hewan dan manfaat poop. Asli, asyik banget dibaca, dan pasti bagus banget dibacakan untuk anak-anak.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was introduced to this book through my five year old niece who loves everything having to do with the digestive system. It's actually a very enlightening book about the ingenious uses for and information about the ending point of the digestive tract. My kids loved it too, and we have our own copy.

[Anna Loeppky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a funny and very interesting book that brings around a common occurrence and makes it interesting. Yes, it is poop, but there are very interesting things about it. This book talks about all different types of animals poops that is funny and fascinating. This is a book appropriate for upper elementary/middle school.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kind of can't believe I read this book, but I'm oddly glad I did. Never did I think poo would be fascinating, but this book is incredibly interesting. I learned so many things that I'd never wondered about, but now kind of want to share! Haha. I will definitely be purchasing this for my school library. I know my students will love it and giggle over checking it out too.

[Oak Lawn Public Library - Youth Services · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexile Level: NA

Pages: 40

Summary: Everything you ever wanted to know about poop and much more.
Who (or what) eats poop. How different animals use poop in their daily lives. Loads of fun facts all about poop.

Recommendations or Comments: Lots of facts, lots of fun ... but not for the squeamish.

Stars: 5 stars

Reviewed By: Michèle Freese

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gross, hilarious, but very informative, The Truth About Poop makes for a great nonfiction read for kids, especially reluctant readers. It also works well as a read-aloud; I read an excerpt during an elementary school visit for summer reading promotion, and the response was tremendous. One could hear a pin drop, that's how focused the kids (even fifth graders!) were. They begged me to read more!

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

2015 IL Bluestem Award nominee
It's a book about poop. It's gross. But it's organized well. It explains more about poop then you've ever wanted to know. The beginning and end pages have even more facts about poop. Kids will crack up and definitely want to share their new info with other kids.

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as the title indicates, this is a book all about poop. Facts in this book range from from how much animals poop to discoveries of dinosaur poop. I think this book is hilarious and would attract even the most reluctant of readers. It has themes of humor and is very informative. I give in 4 out of 5 stars and think that it's appropriate for grades 2-5.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUCH more exhaustive than the classic "Everybody Poops"- it discusses the uses and misuses of poop by people and animals, and historical overviews of poop-related hygiene practices and poop-removal technologies. Highly recommended.

[Mariya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational and gross. Something students and educators can both agree on. This book was being read by a student and he gave it to me to read to him. It was hard to read this book without laughing. It talks about the history of toilets, how toilet paper is made, and anything humorously gross.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

More and more titles are exploring the wonderful world of poop, but none could do it better than this. Well-researched facts are related in surprisingly appealing narrations, sidebars, photos, com,mic illustrations, and supplementary sections. If this one doesn't get kids to read, nothing will.