Ick! Yuck! Eew! Is Just That

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 like for our ancestors.  You will never take indoor plumbing for granted again!

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Title:       Ick! Yuck! Eew! Our Gross American History

Author:  Lois Miner Huey

Target:   Grades 4 and up

What this book is about: 
Kids read a lot 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 of 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!

To purchase this book:
Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Ick! Yuck! Eew!: Our Gross American History  A portion of each purchase goes to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.