Is It Okay to Pee in the Ocean?: The Fascinating Science of Our Waste and Our World
by Ella Schwartz (Author) Lily Williams (Illustrator)
Get the facts you'll really want to know when you really need to go.
Why do we pee? Is pee just yellow water? Is the ocean a giant toilet bowl (eww!)? If you've ever wondered about your body's waste . . . urine luck! This book is all about pee: from why and how we do it, to its effects on our world.
Explore the human systems that make pee happen, tackle environmental questions about the impacts of human waste, discover surprising uses of urine throughout history-like in mouthwash and skin creams-and even try out at-home, hands-on experiments (with no bodily fluids required, of course!).
With engaging black-and-white-illustrations and just enough ick-factor, this engrossing (and sometimes a little bit gross) book gets to the bottom of an oft-ignored part of the science of life.
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Publishers Weekly
Schwartz's guiding titular question draws together human biology and water ecology for a playfully wide-ranging, informative, and conservation-leaning exploration. Chatty prose grounded in basic science examines urine from every angle, touching on how and why the body creates it and where one should and shouldn't feel free to let loose. Dispersed throughout are deep dives into marine science, covering such topics as fin whale waste, algal blooms, and single-use plastics. Shaded boxes offer historical and mythological context, propose experiments ("Sea it for yourself"), or make a connection to environmental stewardship ("Be the change"), while Williams's grayscale cartoons help visualize the text, including figures of varied skin tones. A simple message ties it all together: "Peeing in the ocean isn't a problem. It's all the other stuff humans do that is harming the seas, and, by extension, our planet." Back matter includes an ocean protector pledge. Ages 8-12. (Feb.)
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"Scientific information blends seamlessly with fun facts to deliver everything you would want to know about pee . . . This is a science title that will jump off the nonfiction shelf." —School Library Connection
Ella Schwartz is the award-winning author of Can You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography, which won the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books. In addition to writing books, Ella is a cybersecurity warrior interfacing with the US federal government on strategic technology initiatives. She lives in New York with her husband and three sons. She invites you to visit her at ellasbooks.com.
Dow Phumiruk is the award-winning illustrator of Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13, which won the Bank Street College of Education Cook Prize and was named an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book as well as an NCTM Mathical Honor Book, among many other honors; An Equal Shot: How the Law Title IX Changed America; and Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines, which was an Amazon Best Book of the Year and an NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. A general pediatrician with a passion for art, Dow lives in Colorado with her family. She invites you to visit her at artbydow.com.JNF037070 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Earth Sciences - Water (Oceans, Lakes, Etc.)
Environmental aspects
Urine
