Community Corner
Local Blogger Freya Hooper: American History Is Gross
Who can resist a book that teaches kids the messy, odiferous truths about our past?
There is nothing like a book with a serious “Ick” factor to get kids interested in history! Today I have a book which is NOT for the squeamish but represents what life was really like for our ancestors. You will never take indoor plumbing for granted again!
Please visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com for more inspired book choices for kids.
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Title: Ick! Yuck! Eew! Our Gross American History
Author: Lois Miner Huey
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Target: Grades 4 and up
What this book is about:
Kids read a lot in school about what life was like in historical times. Usually they imagine that the smells and hygiene were similar to what we experience today. This could not be further from the truth! In Ick! Yuck! Eew! kids get a realistic look at the sanitation of the city streets (manure filled), the cleanliness of our ancestors (baths were considered bad and chamber pots were not always emptied), the purity of the homes (bedbugs, mosquitos and lice were common place) and the medical care for citizens (leeches and puke weed were considered remedies). No child will be as willing to hop into a time machine after reading this version of what life was really like!
Why I love this book:
There is something refreshing about giving kids a realistic picture of the past. While I am a huge fan of fantasy, we can’t really understand our history until we know all the messy, stinky, odiferous truths about it. This book will also help kids appreciate so many of the things we take for granted - indoor plumbing and a toothbrush being just the tip of the iceberg!
The book is laid out with wonderfully gross pictures on every page and the text is fun and easy to follow, with lots of sidebars on interesting tidbits.
Who this book is for:
This book is not for the squeamish. There really are some gross photos, so be prepared. Your kids have to be willing to face the real deal of small pox and rotten teeth - I mean really rotten teeth!
Final thoughts:
I dare you not to itch after reading the chapter on the creepy crawly bugs. I think I am still scratching!
I am a mom of three with a passion for literature! No matter what book series our kids devour, as they come to an end, we as parents ask the inevitable question - what is next? I am ever on the job, trying to answer that question. I try to do it with a variety of books. Some are silly, some true to life, some pure fantasy, but in the end I hope they make my children love words, explore new ideas, and laugh!
Previous articles from Freya Hooper:
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