World of Rot: Learn All about the Wriggly, Slimy, Super-Cool Decomposers We Couldn’t Live Without

Gr 4 Up–With humor and exceptional graphics, this book shares the importance of rot while also delivering an entertaining read. Definitions and specifics are the tools Crow-Miller uses to explain this disgusting and stinky world. The contents are divided into three parts—the Whats, the Wows, and the Team of Decomposers. Middle graders will be fascinated and motivated to read more by learning that pill bugs eat from both ends, dead whales are explosive, and butterflies get together to eat rot as a “puddle club.” The vast world of decomposers broken into well-defined Saprotrophs and Detritivores is delivered in short factual blurbs among colorful depictions (with pronunciation guides in parentheses). Their significance is explained in such detail that readers may come to view this weird world differently as they spot decomposition in action. While they may not want to bring a straw, they will certainly appreciate a magnifying glass to accompany the six activities that follow the compelling presentation. Valasse’s bright images look like layered screen prints. They are explanatory and engaging with a style reminiscent of both Basquiat and Mexican folk art. The illustrations will draw in readers while the information will keep them engaged, if for nothing more than the gross factor.