Waist-Deep in Dung

Book excerpt: A hilarious illustrated middle-grade nonfiction offering about the most revolting jobs throughout history involving pee, poop, vomit, dead bodies, and all things disgusting, from Christine Virnig and Korwin Briggs, the author-illustrator team behind SCBWI Golden Kite Finalist Dung for Dinner. What did the ancient Egyptian embalmer say when he was feeling sad? I want my mummy! After wading into the grossest animal pee, poop, and vomit humans have consumed in Dung for Dinner, Dr. Virnig dives back into the muck with an equally humorous and informative exploration of the most revolting jobs throughout history in Waist-Deep in Dung. From the ancient Egyptian mummy makers who removed brains by shoving iron hooks up peoples’ noses, to the 19th century Toshers who hunted for treasure deep in the London sewers, to modern day forensic entomologists who study the fly eggs, maggots, and other creepy crawlies that live on—and crawl through—human corpses, we'll learn about jobs that deal with poop, pee, blood, medicine, and dead bodies. Combining history, science, and a slew of fascinating facts, it’s middle grade nonfiction with real kid appeal. Art from Korwin Briggs will make readers laugh out loud!