
Pick, Spit & Scratch
The Science of Disgusting Habits
by Julia Garstecki
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Nov 27 2018 | Archive Date Jan 15 2019
Quarto Publishing Group – Voyageur Press | Young Voyageur
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Description
As any parent or teacher will attest, all kids have bad habits from, er, time to time. They pick their nose. They hold their pee. Or pee in pools. They pick their nose. They don’t brush their teeth. They pick their nose. But we seldom stop to think that there are science lessons in these habits.
Each spread in Pick, Spit & Scratch describes a specific bad habit, and provides multilayered reading opportunities in the form of incredible, revolting facts that ratchet up the gross factor. Bad habits are transformed into relatable concepts for kids; for example, we swallow up to a quart of snot a day—enough to fill a small milk carton.
In some cases, the author even debunks myths about bad habits by introducing counter-intuitive scientific research (boogers may actually have health benefits) or humorously turning the tables on adults (one study showed that most adults pick their noses, too).
Kids will love Pick, Spit & Scratch because it's gross. Parents will love it because it says, “I told you so.” Everyone will love the health benefits.
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9780760361788 |
PRICE | $17.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 64 |
Featured Reviews

Pick, Spit & Scratch: The Science of Disgusting Habits is a children's book that explains why grownups want them to stop doing certain things like biting their nails. The illustrations are fun and colourful. The information is useful, interesting and simple. I think kids can find it interesting, although it's not the kind of book that you read over and over. It's the kind of book I would like to borrow from my local library.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!

Oh my gosh ! This book is informative, hilarious. just brilliant.
If you have a child of nearly any age, this is a great book for approaching subjects that are sometimes difficult for an adult or embarrassing for a child..
The author has done great job of mixing fact with humor, while covering a great deal of information.

Did you know that people who eat their buggers are often healthier than people who don't? That's because you ingest the germs, and get your body stronger each time it gets a new germ introduced after you've eaten another bugger.
This is just one of the fun facts you can learn from this book of disgusting things that people do all the time.
<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-28-at-10.45.54-PM.png" alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4869" />
<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-28-at-10.45.41-PM.png" alt="" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-4870" />
Farting, burping, chewing on finger nails, they are all there and more. And though this book is supposed to be telling you about the science behind the bad habits, it also tries to tell you that you should change your habits, so you don't damage yourself, by, say, picking your butt and not washing your hands.
And the only bad habit that they show scientifically is good, is bugger eating, so feel free to keep doing that, just do it in private.
A great book to get kids interested in science. Or just in gross things.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Thank you Quatro and Netgalley for granting my wish for this ARC.
I loved this book. It is a fabulous book for children to read by themselves, or with a parent, with great pictures on germs, how the body works and personal habits.
The perfect book to leave for the child who has to be reminded to wash body, hands, etc etc regularly !!!

This is a great little guide to remind kids to be healthy and germ, well, have less germs at least. I think it most likely will be a teacher lee read aloud maybe after Bob, Not Bob (Scanlon) to talk about what happens when we are sick and how to stay healthy. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC.

This was a cute book to teach children about good health practices as well as good manners. The pictures added to the fun. My husband glanced at one of the pages in the book just to see what I was reading about. He said, "That's disgusting!" Well, yes....it's supposed to be.

Great gross book with silly illustrations to help develop or further a child's fascination with everything "gross".
Goes from urine to dog kisses to gaming. It has a section that talks about breaking bad habits.
Downloaded on Netgalley in exchange for a free, honest review.

This is an excellent book for school age children. Although my son couldn't read all of the words, there are lots of excellent illustrations that were clear to understand. The premise of the book is around 'disgusting' habits and the science behind them - think brushing your teeth and going to the toilet. It was great to be able to confidently explain to my son why certain habits can be bad for you, and how to remain hygienic! The illustrations are fun and much more endearing than some other educational books on the human body, and this book certainly kept my son's attention for a lot longer.
We'll definitely be coming back to this book again and again, and adults might even learn a thing or too!
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