Book review: 'Don't Read This Book Before Dinner' is a kid-friendly book about the grossness in life

This book was one of the first ones my kids fought with each other over who could read it first. And I'm pretty sure it was all because of the title and the fact that there was a photo of a kid picking his nose on the front cover.

Because, anything that even hints at boogers is a sure-fire kid-friendly book. Right?

I think that's what my kids were thinking.

Image from Amazon

But Don't Read This Book Before Dinner: Revoltingly True Tales of Foul Food, Icky Animals, Horrible History, and More is full of fun scientific facts for both kids and adults. There are entertaining information in here about toilet paper (which totally seems appropriate as of me writing this review, thanks to all the Covid-19 TP hype going on), maggots, poop, armpits, dust mites, mummies, toenail fungus, zits, and sewage, to name just a few.

Now, I know the above mentioned items are all pretty gross, but learning about them can be cool! I really enjoyed reading through this book and learned many things. Such as, did you know that the nursery rhyme, Sing a Song of Sixpence, is actually based on live animals being served at fancy dinners hundreds of years ago? Weird, but true!

Or what about Maggot Cheese, a cheese that used to be sold in Italy but has now been banned. At first, Sicilian cheese-makers would make just normal cheese. But then they'd cut a hole in the rind, leave it outside to attract the cheese fly, and it would lay its eggs in the cheese. After the eggs would hatch, the nasty little maggots would eat the cheese and then they'd......they'd......Poop the cheese out and that's what made Maggot Cheese the *delight* that was once enjoyed.

Gross! So, so, so gross. And don't worry, it's since been banned.

But kinda interesting too, right?

Don't Read This Book Before Dinner is appropriate for most. Now, if you're the super conservative type, this book might have too many gross and inappropriate things in it for you. But, if you're like most people and wonder about hookworms or why monkeys pick and each each other's scabs and eat them, this book is for you. It's also a great way to get some science into your kid's life without them realizing what you're doing.

Book breakdown:
144 pages
Full color photographs and illustrations
Best for ages: 9 and older
Educational factor: medium
Moral content: lots of gross stuff! But it's also all true
Parents could be concerned about: Again, this book has many gross, but scientific and true, things in it. We love this book at our house.