Gee Whiz! It's All About Pee by Susan E. Goodman #28

Goodman, S. (2006). Gee whiz! It’s all about pee. Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. New York: Viking Books.

Book Type/Pages:

Picture/ 40

Grade Level:

Second through eighth grades

Curriculum Links:

Science
Social Studies

Author Credibility:

In the afterword, Goodman cites different books on urine that she used as research for this book. She had already written a book entitled The Truth About Poop and wanted to follow it with a book on urine. She committed to doing research to see if enough material existed to do so. She also acknowledges scientists that assisted with background information.

Awards:

I was not able to locate any awards for this book.

Book Summary:

This book is about urine. It covers the gamut of topics regarding pee. The biology of how we pee, the history of toilets and bathrooms, uses for urine, and predictions of how using the restroom will be different in the future is covered. Many interesting facts are presented on a topic that everyone can relate to.

National/State Standards:

National Social Studies Standards:
Science, Technology, and Society
Time, Continuity, and Change

National Scienc Standards:
Life Science

Illustrations/Graphics:

The illustrations appear to be watercolor and colored pencil. The illustrations accompany the text and provide a humorous view of the text provided on the two page spread. The illustrations add interest to an already interesting topic and make for a fun read. The illustrations do not overpower the text, but accentuate it.

Access Features:

Important access features of this book include a table of contents, an introduction, sections headed with whimsical titles, and an afterword. The front and back endpapers are printed with many facts about urine.

Writing Style:

The writing style of this book is informal and conversational. Goodman uses quite a bit of humor throughout this book, which I feel helps keep the reader from thinking the topic is gross. She pulls in the reader and makes you want to know more.

Use in My Classroom:

I do not think that I would read this book aloud, but I would definitely have it around for student reading. It would be a good book to use when discussing the body systems.

My Response to the Book:

Of all the books I have read so far, this one is my favorite! I laughed as I read it and learned many new things. I really liked how Goodman took a potentially sensitive subject and made it relatable to people of all ages.

Related Texts:

Other books about our bodies and their functions:

The Truth about Poop by Susan E. Goodman
Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable by Nicola Davies
Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (And Others) Left Behind by Jacob Berkowitz
Five Quarts: A Personal and Natural History of Blood by Bill Hayes
Smart Feller Fart Smeller and Other Spoonerisms by Jon Agee
The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts by Shinta Cho
The Holes in Your Nose by Genichiro Yagyu
All About Scabs by Genichiro Yagyu
Contemplating Your Bellybutton by Jun Nanao
Where’s the Poop? by Julie Markes
Grossology by Sylvia Branzei
Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty by Joy Masoff