(3) K-3 Tiny Habitats series. This informative picture book describes how a bison’s “steamy poo pile” becomes an important part of a prairie ecosystem. Over the course of a year, insects eat and lay eggs inside it; toads, turtles, and birds come to eat the bugs; flowers and grasses grow in the enriched soil. In the spring, a poo pile from a baby bison begins the cycle anew. Mixed-media illustrations depict the variety of life on the prairie; speech bubbles add personality (“Mmm, these roots are tangy!” muses a munching prairie dog). More background, a bibliography, and further reading are appended.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Neal Layton. Davies explores poop--what it is, how it is different from animal to animal, and why it has varying consistencies. She tells how animals use poop, how naturalists study poop, and how paleontologists analyze fossilized poop. Layton's cartoon illustrations with conversational balloons comically translate the text into everyday language and situations. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2004