The Dirt on Dirt [Hardcover]

Paulette Bourgeois (Author), Martha Newbigging (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Dirt. It's in the air, under your bed, on the street and between your toes. Most of the time, you're trying to get rid of it. Does showering make you feel squeaky clean? Sure you are -- for now. Read this book to find out why you just can't escape dirt -- and why it's important for more reasons than you think. Earth, mud, grime, soil -- whatever you call it, dirt is everywhere, even where you don't expect it. Did you know that without dirt there would be no rain? Or beautiful sunsets? The Dirt on Dirt covers not only what you think of as dirt, but also everything on and around the planet relating to dirt, from dirt homes big and small to secrets the dirt hides and much more. Youngsters will also find a bucketful of fun things to do with dirt, including how to build a bike racetrack, create fossil footprints and grow a garden playhouse.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–7—A kaleidoscopic peek into the multifaceted world of dirt—and soil and sand and mattress lint and earthworms and geology and paleontology and (you get the drift). All these fascinating bits are accompanied by a peck of hands-on projects ranging from making a composter out of a milk carton to the production of a delectable "mud cake." The chatty text provides a plethora of facts, interspersed with cartoon drawings, diagrams, and color photos (though one of a creature described as a mole looks suspiciously like a woodchuck). More demanding than Christin Ditchfield's simple Soil (Children's Press, 2002) or Steve Tomecek's informative Dirt (National Geographic, 2002), and with a different thrust than Raymond Bial's graceful A Handful of Dirt (Walker, 2000), this book will certainly be a fun source for kids needing science projects and a nifty browser for budding naturalists.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

From dirty toes, fossils, earthworms, and animal burrows to buried treasure, cities, and dog bones, this engaging introduction to soil touches on a wide variety of topics clearly and concisely. “Fun with Dirt” experiments and activities demonstrate concepts and stimulate imagination. Illustrated with well-captioned photographs and cartoon-style sketches, the inviting format will attract browsers and students alike. Although the basic outline, much of the text, and the casual tone are the same as the author’s Amazing Dirt Book  (1990), the colorful, new format makes this a worthy revision for libraries. A glossary and index are appended, but no sources are cited. Grades 3-6. --Linda Perkins

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (February 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554531012
• ISBN-13: 978-1554531011
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 10.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,790,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars impressive kid-friendly illustrations, August 14, 2011

By 

Deborah Sandford "Marian the Librarian" (Madison, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dirt on Dirt (Paperback)

Everything you wanted to know about dirt in an attractive format: how soap was invented to get rid of dirt, the difference between soap and detergent and how they work, the truth about dust mites, different kinds of dirt, how dirt is made, fascinating things to be discovered in and under dirt, and an update on the Leaning Tower of Pisa and why it leans. A quiz on earthworms, a glossary and index, and an impressive display of illustrations and photographs make this a motivating read. The cover is irresistible-the bottoms of two blackened feet! Solid, terse information make it a good resource for reports while easy-to-do activities offer a semblance of fun: how to make a plaster cast of a footprint; how to make (easy) mud cake as well as how to grow a teepee hideaway out of bean seeds.

5.0 out of 5 stars This amazing book will fascinate even the most reluctant reader!, July 18, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dirt on Dirt (Hardcover)

This wild 'n crazy and just plain old fun book on dirt says that you "probably spend a lot of time trying to get rid of the dirt in your life," but for a lot of kids that really doesn't apply. Just take a look of the toes on the cover of this book and you'll see that this youngster has spent more time trying to attract dirt than get rid of it. Dirt is all over the place and our bodies seem to have a way of attracting it. In this book you're going to find all kinds of interesting "dirt" stories, interesting experiments and will learn about all those yucky things that are under your bed. Did you know that there is even African sand under there?

In this book you will learn a lot of very interesting things. You'll learn how mud baths actually clean animals, you'll see a section on dirt bike racing, you'll discover what is in dirt, you'll find out about erosion, quicksand, sand sculptures, you'll learn about the composition of the Earth, you can read about archaeological finds, the dangers of landfills, Pompeii, fossils and much, much more. Did you know that "Charles Darwin used to play classical music to his worms?" HUH?

The cover of this book in no way belies the many treasures found inside. It's cover to cover fun. There are numerous one or two page stories that will fascinate and pull even the most reluctant reader through the book. Interspersed throughout the book are numerous experiments youngsters can try. For example, there are instructions on how to "grow a hideaway" with pole beans. Even one of my all time favorite stories about the Money Pit on Oak Island, Nova Scotia is in here! If you're in for a bit of adventure and like to explore many different "dirty" stories you might just like this book!