Giving it to You Down and Dirty: The Gross-O-Pedia

Sharing Sundays:

When I was growing up, I looked forward to watching Saturday cartoons including a show called Beakman’s World. It was full of tons of information about real stuff and demonstrated in a way that kids could easily understand. Actually the best way to describe it was a “kid-version of Dr. Oz.” I distinctly remember how one episode showed you how scabs formed by using red and white balloons to symbolize red and white blood cells. But it didn’t stop there – he talked about all the things that make you go “huh?”

Don’t have a clue what I’m talking about or remember Beakman fondly? Check out YouTube or you can order him on Netflix.)

Anyhow, my point of this was he did some amazing explaining about things no one wants to talk about but does” like farts, scabs and other gross stuff. While as adults we do our best to be appropriate about the topics, but as kids they don’t categorize it as gross, nasty or whatever. They just want to know “WHY.”

The Gruesome, Disgusting, and Absolutely Vile Gross-o-Pedia by Rachel Federman is the perfect treat for anyone with an interest in the bizarre or an offbeat sense of humor. There’s a chapter on every subject that you might want to know a little too much about, like bugs, the human body, science, festivals, and even an entire section devoted to farts. (yes, I’ve mentioned that word like three times already.)

So with Halloween just around the corner and a four-year-old who asks “why” at least a million times a day, this book gives me a reference to explain things to him as well as some great factoids that Beakman would be proud of – 20 years later.

The Gruesome, Disgusting, and Absolutely Vile Gross-O-Pedia: A Startling Collection of Repulsive Trivia You Won’t Want to Know!
Rachel Federman
Skyhorse Publishing

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)