The Big Book of Barf

October 15, 2024
A "spewnami" of straight poop on vomit. Leaving no double entendre unturned, Lorencen goes well beyond alimentary basics in this "ralphabetical" A-Z discourse on the causes, functions, varieties, and biological mechanisms of (to use the medical term) emesis. The book introduces readers to interesting new words, likeperistalsis anduvula, and offers overviews of the whole digestive system and the enteric nervous system that governs it. Kids can also feast on a burgeoning lexicon of synonyms and slang terms forvomit--theA entry alone lists five that start with that letter--as well as potential causes, from food poisoning and car sickness to "cybersickness." Lorencen suggests practical remedies and even offers step-by-step instructions for cleaning the carpet afterward. All of this content is delivered in a stew of digestible prose blocks and punny text exchanges between light-skinned questioner Chuck, an unattached stomach named Queezy, and brown-skinned explainer Professor Anita Puke. Recipes for gross but edible treats with stomach-churning names like Barfday Cake, historical anecdotes, and versions of Jonah and the whale and other briefly retold ancient tales are interspersed. The illustrations--fanciful cartoony spot images capped by a pair of simplified anatomical diagrams relegated to the "Back Splatter" alongside a list of international equivalents fortoilet--are wanting. Still, this info-gusher, plainly a labor of love, will draw readers like flies. A sure crowd pleaser, better for browsing than systematic research. (glossary, vomit vocabulary)(Nonfiction. 8-12)

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January 1, 2025

Gr 4-7-Chuck, Professor Anita Puke, and Queezy (who resembles a cartoonlike stomach) are three upbeat characters who take readers on an alphabetically-organized journey through everything barf-related. Each letter has its own chapter and begins with a list of terms synonymous with vomiting that begin with that letter, followed by questions posed by Chuck and Queezy and answered by Professor Anita Puke, all related to the letter. Each letter chapter includes some or all of the following special sidebar sections: "Chuck's Sick Science," which provides explanations of science-related terms (e.g., peristalsis is explained under the letter P); "Hurled History? (the myth of the Roman Vomitorium is explored under the letter V); "Epics of Emesis," which covers vomit-related myths from around the world; and "Ralph-Worthy Recipes" for edible concoctions that resemble barf. Brightly colored cartoon illustrations contribute to the lighthearted, humorous vibe. VERDICT With an unending stream of puns, rhymes, and corny dad jokes with some interesting science mixed in, this is sure to appeal to reluctant readers or kids who are attracted to the grosser aspects of life.-Ragan O'Malley

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