What Do They Do With All That Poo?

Written by Jane Kurtz
Illustrated by Allison Black
Expected publication: June 19, 2018

Why we chose this book:
T is three. Poop is fascinating. And I have wondered what zoos do with all the animal excrement. The publisher provided a review copy.

Mom's Review

Readers learn trivia about different animals' excrement, as well as how zoos dispose of it.

Fun. Funny. Informative. T and I both enjoyed reading it. I learned that wombat poo is square, which leads me to a few more questions, and T is fascinated by the primates that throw their feces. He thinks it's hysterical and gross all at once. We also learned that many zoos monitor animal health by studying their droppings, and turn a great deal of the manure into compost. Some zoos have witty names for the compost, like "Zoo Manoo." Since reading this, T has been talking about Zoo Manoo frequently. He thinks it's hysterical. He thinks pretty much everything about this book is hysterical.

What Do They Do With All That Poo? has an overarching rhymed narrative that runs across the top of each page. In slightly smaller print at the bottom of each page is trivia about each animal's droppings, like pandas' green bamboo-ey poop, bats' sparkly guano, and hyenas's white dung. Because we read the trivia on each page, it took a few reads for me to actually notice the rhymes. We have since found that reading just the rhymes along the top works well for bed time. I would recommend taking a look at this book if your child finds poop funny or is curious about the inner workings of zoos. And a word to the wise: be prepared to talk about poop a LOT after reading it!

Son's Review
(age 3)
While reading:
Son: They don't want to poop on theirselves. That would be gross.

Mom: I'm glad that you pointed out that the bats don't poop on themselves. That would be so nasty.

Son: They have to turn right side up so they don't poop on theirselves.
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Son: They get away the poop in different ways. They send some to the doctors. Why?

Mom: So that the doctors can see if the animals are healthy. You can learn a lot about an animal from its poop.
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Son: That's neat that they make paper [from elephant poop].

Mom: Would you want to write or draw anything on elephant poop paper?

Son: Yeah. I'd draw a monster. The color of poop!

At the end: 
Son: Why do they throw poop at you?

Mom: Good question. Let's read...they're sending a message that way. What did you like the best?

Son: Where the monkeys threw poop. Why did they throw it?

Mom: It says that they communicate that way.

Son: Why do they communicate that way?

Mom: I don't know. It doesn't say. Would you want to communicate that way? I wouldn't!

Son, laughing: Yeah!
(Dear God, no!)

Mom: What word would you say best describes this whole book?

Son: Interesting book-ey! It's an interesting book and I say book-ey. I'm playing with words!

Mom: Who might like this book?

Son: You. And T. And why do monkeys throw their poo?
(And we are back to that question and the ensuing conversation.)

Dad, from the other room: Is there anything funny in that book?

Son: They throw poop. The animals eat and then they poop and then they throw the poop!