Ick! Yuck! Eew!: Our Gross American History

Gr 5–8—What was life really like in early America? Readers are transported back to the 1700s for a bird's-eye view. On the first page, they "land" in a city in June 1770. As they stroll around, they learn that conditions were not glamorous. Animals roamed freely, so the streets were riddled with dung and garbage. In addition to the smell, they also dealt with the buzzing mosquitoes, creeping bedbugs, flies, and biting lice. As the journey continues, readers learn about the lack of hygiene and various diseases that were rampant. Side notes and illustrations explain in more detail such things as the smallpox epidemic, rotting teeth, and various remedies used to treat these ailments. The full-color art is a mixture of photographs and reproductions and serves to convince children about the realities of life in the early years of America. This enlightening book would be helpful for research and will attract browsers, although not everyone will appreciate its grossness.—Annette Herbert, F. E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY