From Stinky to Sanitary

Stinky Sanitation Inventions
by Katie Marisco

I know this probably sounds bizarre, but when I saw the cover and title of this book I knew I had to read it.

Have you ever heard of a garderobe? It was the medieval version of a toilet. It featured a small opening which enable the waste to fall down, usually into the moat. Did you know "the average person goes through almost twenty-one thousand sheets of toilet paper each year? How many porta-potties did the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee set up to aid the attendees to the swearing-in ceremony? I'll give you a hint, it was a record-breaker.

These are just a few of the very interesting facts you will learn about the incredible inventions we use every day in order to keep ourselves sanitary, healthy and clean. I know this is a topic most of us would never discuss in public, but this book has been written for children from age eight to eleven. 

I don't think it will stay on the shelf very long. I believe the children will flock to the title and want to know more about the contents (a table of contents, glossary, index and a section for further information is included in the book).

I'm not sure the cover picture was the best choice, it might deter some potential readers. However, once one of the kids at school have checked this book out, they will all want to know about the pooper-scooper, sewers, and landfills.

I would recommend this book for public and school libraries. The colorful photographs with spotlight information across from full-paged text keeps this book from feeling cluttered. The layout of the book is nice and the font is easily read. Some of the background pages for the photographs can be distracting to older readers, but I think the children to whom this book is directed will like the burst of color throughout.

*To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, 21st Century Publishing, has provided a complimentary electronic copy of this book for review purposes through NetGalley.com.