Gross As A Snot Otter by Jess Keating

The subtitle for Gross As A Snot Otter is Discovering the World's Most Disgusting Animals. It is another addition to author Jess Keating and illustrator David DeGrand's "The World of Weird Animals" series.

Each disgusting animal featured in this nonfiction book is given a two-page spread. One page is a color photograph of the animal, and the opposite page is an explanation of the creature's most odd and disgusting traits. A column of facts is also provided, which includes names the animal is known as, size, diet, habitat, and threats. While choosing a grossest animal is difficult, I would have to say the Surinam Toad freaked me out the most. The male basically plants the female's eggs onto her back. where her skin grows around them as protection. The toadlets hatch by punching through their mother's skin, approximately 100 at a time. EWWW!

I recommend this book to students with an interest in animals, a strong stomach, and an appetite for learning new things they can use to gross out their friends and family.

Note: While the book is full of photographs and cartoon illustrations, younger readers will need assistance reading it.

Mrs. N.