"This [book's] pages are packed solid with disgusting information on an array of topics... [King] includes many historical anecdotes and interesting bits of gross trivia (did you know that the Apollo 11 astronauts left their defecation collection devices on the moon?). There's an extensive bibliography, which is rare in this type of book. "The irreverent writing style is frequently laugh-out-loud funny and full of puns. Kids will love the euphemisms for various bodily functions and the sidebars (one has a recipe for making fake snot)... This book is not for the faint of heart. Some adults may feel it is in poor taste, but there are certainly middle school kids (let's face it, boys) who will eat it up." |
"We were happy to find The Big Book of Gross Stuff. We don't really need to summarize it for you. It’s a book. It's big. It's full of gross stuff. That means definitions, history, stories, fun facts and, of course, illustrations. Everything you could possibly want to know about everything gross...and then some. We can see this book as the kind of thing you'd bring to a sleepover party to giggle over, or as a place to find topics for a school report or science experiment. At the very least, it's something you'll probably read a bit of, then stop and read that bit aloud to the nearest person, because they just have to hear it. It’s My Life rating: A" Review link |
"[M]ost people agree that the 8- to 12-year-old set enters a phase when many things unmentionable and almost all things scatological are infinitely intriguing... Parents of young readers realize that 'Ewww, gross!' is a big compliment. Keeping all this in mind... The Big Book of Gross Stuff offers us something new. Bart King embraces this fascination... [and he] presents a meticulous scale by which readers can classify their tolerance for grossness. Take King's quiz that asks questions about a lot of things you would not want to hear mentioned during breakfast, and rate a subject based on a sliding scale... After mentally setting a tolerance level, readers are ready to delve into the bulk of the book." Review link |
"EEW! ICK! COOL! Burp. Sneeze. Sniff your armpits and pick your nose. Miss Manners might not approve, but you'll be right in sync with The Big Book of Gross Stuff. Author Bart King specializes in 'stealth science,' taking on messy topics that adolescent boys adore — and explaining the facts behind them in a clear and entertaining way. Booger basics, anyone?" Review link |
"Bart King...is a master at presenting yucky stuff with humor and teachable moments found in history, science and the whole wide world." Review link |
"The Portland [author] who really 'gets' kids brings it again, this time with a side of slime. The book is full of tween-boy appeal, with info like 'World’s Most Disgusting Jobs' (whale feces researcher?), a gross quiz and loads more. Even if you don't buy the book, visit King's Web site (ultragross.blogspot.com); it’s a treasure trove o' grossness. Fascinating fun!" Review link |
"The Big Book of Gross Stuff provides a multitude of 'Hey-listen-to-this' factoids and plenty of belly laughs for readers who like to dip into wacky (but educational) reading." Review link |
"This is a hilarious book about science, nature and the human body." -Pop! Canada's Adventure Magazine for Kids |
"Bart King is a lot like Bill Nye the Science Guy. He teaches kids and immature adults about science and the human body, but King takes it to a whole new level—a new and disgusting level." Review link |
"[My son] has barely put the book down, and has read to me the same sections at least two or three times with a laugh that brings a smile to all parents' faces. [This book] has brought a lot of laughter into our house over the weekend and it has a little boy reading it over and over." Review link |
| "[This book] landed on my doorstep and in the hands of my son. After numerous evenings listening to my son giggle himself to sleep [with it], I had to see for myself what was so funny. And I'm embarrassed to say that I had trouble putting the book down." Review link -The Spilt Milk Moms blog |
"My son rolls off the school bus telling fart jokes while my husband has an application called iFart on his phone. I'm pretty sure they're the target market for The Big Book of Gross Stuff." Review link -Katie Schneider, The Oregonian, March 27, 2010 |
"King dives into the subject in his typical tongue-in-cheek fashion, and it's the right style to keep your kids turning the pages…If you want to give your kid something that they'll likely read from cover to cover (probably much to your dismay), give them a copy of The Big Book of Gross Stuff." Review link -Thomas Duff, Top 50 Amazon Book Reviewer |
"Stuffed with the trivia, facts, and history of everything nasty, it shares all you ever wanted to know about the gross stuff that enters and exits the human body. It starts with birth... and sallies bravely through life, sharing all the details on farts, bacteria, and belly button lint. It’s written to target kids 8-14, but at 25 I still found this incredibly entertaining... So go on, don't be squeamish…and check Gross Stuff out!" |
"Even though [our son] has read it from cover to cover, he still carries it around, giggling while he flips through over and over again. So thank you... You've thoroughly entertained the boy and grossed us out at the same time." Review link -Left to Their Own Devices blog |
'Sometimes it's hard to get tweens to read. For those not afraid to brave the unmentionable [this engaging book] will... get tweens laughing while burying their noses deep into the pages." Review link -Examiner.com, "Underpants, farts and potty humor: A list for reluctant young readers" |
"The Big Book of Gross Stuff is not only fun, but it's packed with stealth science. Any kid who reads the book will come out the other end a lot smarter and will have a great time doing it. Bart King is a wonderful writer with an uncanny ability to appeal to young readers. I can't wait to start gifting this book, and I really want to be there when the recipients read it." Review link |