Pick Spit Scratch

Parents and teachers, turn nagging about hand washing, covering your cough, and other healthy practices into STEM learning moments with Pick, Spit & Scratch. Weird, disgusting science facts (a sneeze or cough can spray germs 25 feet through the air!) behind a range of bad habits, accompanied by hilarious illustrations, give kids the vivid answers they need to change their ways and tips that show them how—including step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to wash viruses and bacteria off your hands like an expert. As any parent or teacher will attest, all kids have bad habits from, er, time to time. They pick their nose. They hold their pee. Or pee in pools. They pick their nose. They don’t brush their teeth. They pick their nose. But we seldom stop to think that there are science lessons in these habits. Each spread in Pick, Spit & Scratch describes a specific bad habit, and provides multilayered reading opportunities in the form of incredible, revolting facts that ratchet up the gross factor. Bad habits are transformed into relatable concepts for kids; for example, we swallow up to a quart of snot a day—enough to fill a small milk carton. In some cases, the author even debunks myths about bad habits by introducing counter-intuitive scientific research (boogers may actually have health benefits) or humorously turning the tables on adults (one study showed that most adults pick their noses, too). Kids will love Pick, Spit & Scratch because it's gross. Parents will love it because it says, “I told you so.” Everyone will love the health benefits.

Sniff, Lick & Scratch! is the book parents and educators will turn to to explain the less majestic behaviors witnessed in the animal kingdom—and sneak in a little STEM learning while they're at it. Do flies really puke on our food when we’re not looking? And why do dogs sniff each other’s behinds? The companion book to Pick, Spit & Scratch answers these and many of the other most pressing questions young readers have about the animal kingdom—specifically, do animals really do all those nasty things we hear about, and why? As with the disgusting habits of humans, there’s a bit of science behind the strange things that animals do. Each spread describes a specific naughty-by-nature habit and provides multilayered reading opportunities in the form of one or two weird, disgusting facts that ratchet up the gross factor by connecting animal habits with relatable concepts. In many cases, the author even debunks commonly held myths about the animal habits described and, in the process, shows that these animal habits, though disgusting to us humans, are really matters of evolution and survival. Have a question about a specific icky animal behavior? A glossary and index make Sniff, Lick & Scratch a great reference. Kids will get a thrill out of exclaiming "Eww!" as they read this book. Parents will love that their children are reading and engaged in scientific inquiry.

When Benjamin was a boy he believed in the afterlife. When he was bitten by a cat as a boy he became a devout ailurophobe and cat bully who vowed to hate cats forever. When he was an adult Benjamin was startled by a stray cat at a rooftop dance party. He fell off the roof and the next morning he woke up inside a cardboard box behind a 1970s-themed Disco bar. He was later taken in and adopted by his neighbor and friend and spent the rest of his life as the very thing he detested, a cat. Author's Note: When you finish the book there is a very simply crochet pattern at the end for you to enjoy!

Burp, Spit & Fart: The Science Behind the Gross Things Babies Do answers some of the most pressing questions young readers have about their baby siblings—a companion book to Pick, Spit & Scratch: The Science of Disgusting Habits and Sniff, Lick & Scratch: The Science of Disgusting Animal Habits. Why does a baby’s poop change color as it gets older? How do diapers keep all that pee in? Why do babies have to be burped after eating, and how does burping work, anyway? Do all babies suck their thumbs? And why can they put their toes in their mouths? As with the gross things that other humans and animals do, there’s a bit of science behind the strange things that babies do. Each spread describes a specific habit or behavior, offering multilayered reading opportunities in the form of weird, disgusting facts that ratchet up the gross factor. Weird baby habits are transformed into relatable concepts for kids. In many cases, the author even debunks commonly held myths described and, in the process, shows that babies, though sometimes weird to older kids, are really just in the process of developing into normal kids. When you need immediate answers to questions about specific icky behaviors, use Burp, Spit & Fart's handy glossary and index. Kids will get a thrill out of exclaiming "Eww!" as they read this book. Parents will love that their children are reading and engaged in scientific inquiry.

From earwax and bad breath to boogers and burps, the human body is a disgusting place. Learn about your body's sticky, smelly functions that help you stay healthy.

Now a limited Netflix series starring Zoe Saldana! This Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller is “a captivating story of love lost and found” (Kirkus Reviews) set in the lush Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hours. It was love at first sight when actress Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro’s traditional Sicilian family did not approve of his marrying a black American woman. However, the couple, heartbroken but undeterred, forged on. They built a happy life in Los Angeles, with fulfilling careers, deep friendships, and the love of their lives: a baby girl they adopted at birth. Eventually, they reconciled with Saro’s family just as he faced a formidable cancer that would consume all their dreams. From Scratch chronicles three summers Tembi spends in Sicily with her daughter, Zoela, as she begins to piece together a life without her husband in his tiny hometown hamlet of farmers. Where once Tembi was estranged from Saro’s family, now she finds solace and nourishment—literally and spiritually—at her mother-in-law’s table. In the Sicilian countryside, she discovers the healing gifts of simple fresh food, the embrace of a close knit community, and timeless traditions and wisdom that light a path forward. All along the way she reflects on her and Saro’s romance—an incredible love story that leaps off the pages. In Sicily, it is said that every story begins with a marriage or a death—in Tembi Locke’s case, it is both. “Locke’s raw and heartfelt memoir will uplift readers suffering from the loss of their own loved ones” (Publishers Weekly), but her story is also about love, finding a home, and chasing flavor as an act of remembrance. From Scratch is for anyone who has dared to reach for big love, fought for what mattered most, and those who needed a powerful reminder that life is...delicious.

With Science in a Jar, kids and grown-ups need only gather a jar and a few other inexpensive and readily available household objects to begin investigating and confirming the science at work all around them. The 30 experiments included cover various scientific disciplines: life science, earth science, physical science, weather, and more. Some activities, like creating a cloud in a jar, are quick experiments that can be performed over and over again. Others, like the earthworm habitat, will be enjoyed over time. Science in a Jar also features several projects that help demonstrate how science and art intertwine—the sometimes overlooked “A” in STEAM! Each experiment is headed by a supplies list and difficulty level, as well as a short description of the project to be undertaken and the scientific principles with which the readers will interact. Directions and photographs guide readers through the scientific method in each experiment, while short features offer multileveled reading opportunities with explanations of terms, interesting quick facts, and brief descriptions of how scientists apply the specific concepts that readers just witnessed in the larger world today. In addition to providing readers with a better understanding of basic scientific concepts, Science in a Jar ignites curiosity, increases confidence to investigate scientific concepts, and fosters a love of science.

Nutrition is an essential component of the work of all health and community workers, including those involved in humanitarian assistance, and yet it is often neglected in their basic training. Drawn from the experiences of an international editor team with extensive field experience, Nutrition for Developing Countries brings together the essential basics of nutrition in an easily accessible form which is accurate, up-to-date and practical, and suitable for a wide range of readers at different levels. The book covers the whole life cycle, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, complementary feeding, older children, adolescents, adults and the elderly, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable women and children. The fully revised and updated edition addresses both the long standing problems of undernutrition and malnutrition, and the growing epidemic of overnutrition and obesity, which are responsible for the rapid increase in non-communicable diseases of later life. Generously illustrated, Nutrition for Developing Countries explains in clear simple language, and practical detail, how nutrition workers can help families with nutrition problems, including many ideas for exercises for training nutrition workers.