Kids who want the scoop on scat will love Poopendous!

When you were a little kid, you probably heard your mother say, "Eeeeuuuuuww, don't pick that up!" often.

There were lots of nasty, icky things that you thought were interesting then (and you might still), but that your mother knew were definitely meant to be left alone. Mud, for instance, bugs, or yucky stuff that was outside way too long. Bleah.

Those were the things you learned to ignore, but there's one icky substance that's actually very useful and kinda cool. In the new book "Poopendous!" by Artie Bennett, illustrations by Mike Moran, you'll see what it is.

Before you do anything, though, be sure that you've got a strong stomach. Then take a deep breath, swallow hard, hold your nose and let's go

First of all, here's something you already know: poop happens. Every living thing on earth does it inside or outside (or both!), and there are lots of words for it: ca-ca, doo-doo, flop, guano, scat or dung.

Big animals leave big poop. Little creatures (like flies) leave little spots of poo. In the animal kingdom, poop can be round (rabbits) or tubular pellets (raccoons), it can be white (like from birds) or cubed ( Australia 's wombat). It can be dry (from a camel) or flat and messy (like what cows leave behind).

Termites live in mounds of poop. Dung beetles use it as food (ick!). Poop can carry seeds around the world and once the seeds are dropped, the poop will help plants take root and grow. Farmers and gardeners use poo for that very reason. Monkeys sometimes like to throw poop, and people at fairs do it, too, (only they call it a "cowpie" or a "cow chip"). In either case, that poo is really far-flung dung. Yuck!

Poop can mark a trail, or it can mark territory. If you like to hike, poop can tell you if animals may be nearby. Some people build houses of poop and others use it as fuel for cooking or to stay warm. Then there are those who use poo as a souvenir or even for making jeeeuuuuwwelry!

What in the world would we do without doo-doo? Read this book and find out. You'll be the most poopular kid in the neighborhood.

So your child has made exploration his doodie er, duty? He thinks scat is all that? So why not step in his world and read to him something he'll love?

Yes, indeed, "Poopendous!" is cute. The rhyme that makes the story will give your child piles of giggles. But Bennett also teaches kids a smidge of science and a bit of biology inside this book, a benefit that doesn't wipe away the silliness one bit. Add in illustrations by Moran that run poopendicular to the narrative, and you've got a book that kids will never want to leave alone.

Meant for children 5 to 7, I think this book might de-squirm the right preschooler, too. If your child wants the scoop on poop, "Poopendous!" is a book to pick up.