  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2018 Gr 4–7—Readers who enjoy the gross side of life (and death) will find this title to their liking. Halls begins with the death of a wild boar, and describes what and how the process of decomposition takes place. One chapter describes creepy-crawly creatures, such as blowflies, maggots, roly-polys, burying beetles, and meat ants. Furry animals, such as squirrels, skunks, and raccoons, hunt for their food, but are also willing to enjoy a free carrion meal. Halls also explains how various sea creatures help remove dead matter form the oceans. The author briefly describes "sky burials," which often take place in the mountains of Mongolia and Tibet in which a human corpse is offered to the vultures of the Larung Valley. (Family is permitted to observe the ritual, but tourists are not.) Burial at sea is also mentioned. Color photos of excellent quality vary in size, including full-page. Some captions are enlightening, while others repeat information already found in the longer narrative. White print in red boxes adds a great deal to the informative text. VERDICT Though there may be many "oohs" and "yucks" from readers, this may well be a popular title. A top purchase for robust collections.—Eldon Younce, Anthony Public Library, KS - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 10/01/2018 Halls enthusiastically breaks down the decomposition process in this systematic look at scavengers. Her introduction establishes death as a necessary part of the life cycle, declaring, “Sure, it’s gross, but it is also amazing.” Her sense of wonder permeates the text, which strikes an admirable balance between putrescent and matter-of-fact details. After outlining the five stages of vertebrate decomposition, Halls devotes chapters to general categories of scavengers and decomposers (insects, mammals, birds, and marine critters) in the basic order in which they arrive at a carcass. The book’s clean layout features well-chosen and positioned photos, diagrams, and fact boxes that make even gruesome information easy to digest. Flies and flesh-eating maggots get the ball rolling, followed by opportunistic eaters, such as raccoons, hyenas, and even bears. Avian appetites are triggered next, allowing seagulls, crows, and vultures to swoop in. A quick dip into the sea reveals a clean-up crew of crustaceans and bone-eating worms. By providing context and a big-picture approach to death, Halls equips young readers with understanding from which comfort and awe can grow. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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