Review by Booklist Review
Snot, spit, and slime: the discerning adult might be grossed out, but kids will be hooked by just the title. As she did with previous series volumes (Get the Scoop on Animal Puke, 2014), Cusick focuses on the biology of the yuckier side of the animal kingdom. This volume first explores different kinds of mucus: some frogs use sticky mucus to grip trees, and clownfish use mucus defensively to protect themselves from stinging anemones. The second half focuses on spit: kangaroos use saliva to protect themselves from heat, while spitting cobras spray defensive venom. Marine and reptilian critters abound, although there are plenty of mucousy mammals (including humans) to be found. There's little organization, but photos of nose-picking, eyeball-licking animals and reptiles, placed simply over a white background, are a draw. Information is often cursory, and a list of secondary sources would have aided the more curious reader, who will undoubtedly be hooked by the weird trivia and interesting images, but this is a solid introduction with icky appeal.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Cusick floats a slick, select gallery of natures spitters, nose-pickers, oozers, and slimersmost but not all nonhumanatop nourishing globs of scientific information. Title notwithstanding, the book is limited just to mucus and saliva. Following introductory looks at the major components of each, Cusick describes their often similar uses in naturein swallowing or expelling foreign matter, fighting disease, predation and defense, camouflage, travel, communication (Arent you glad humans use words to communicate?), home construction, nutrition, and more. All of this is presented in easily digestible observations placed among, and often referring to, color photos of slime-covered goby fish, a giraffe with its tongue up its nose, various drooling animals, including a white infant, and like photogenic subjects. Two simple experiments cater to hands-on types, but any readers who take delight in sentences like Some fungus beetles eat snail slime mucus come away both stimulated and informed. What better way to make natural history slide down easily? (index) (Nonfiction. 8-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
