Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?

Caitlin has done it again. I love everything she does. Thank you so much to Netgalley for letting me read this title early. I have been a long time fan of Ask A Mortician and this was a fantastic book in that same vein. I can’t wait to read more from her and add this to my collection.

I have read all three of this author's books. I don't know what that says about me, but I like the way she demystifies death and what happens to our bodies. Plus she does it in a way that you get a few good chuckles to boot. What's not to love? Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

Friendly funeral director Caitlin Doughty offers open, honest, and sometimes funny answers to some of the questions she's received over the years from kids. The questions range from "What would happen to a body in outer space" to "If I died making a stupid face, would it be stuck like that forever?" to "Can we give Grandma a Viking funeral?" Her good-natured, pleasant attitude offers hope and comfort to those with fears about death and what happens after. Could be easily enjoyed by adults and teens.

Caitlin Doughty does not disappoint! While some of the material she presents in this book would be well known to a Doughty-devotee, this is a perfect introduction to her quirky sense of humor and knowledge of the mortuary field. This book isn't for the squeamish, but if you want to know more about funerary practices in the US and around the world, check out this book!

What an incredibly delightful, if creepy, read! It's true that you can never predict what children will say, or in this case, ask; and those bizarre questions have led to a book that it both educational and chortling good. While I am disappointed that a flaming Viking ship is not in my funereal future, I'm somewhat relieved that my Gracie will probably nibble my lips away before going for my eyes. I'm not sure why that makes me feel better, but it does. Caitlin Doughty could go on indefinitely about a host of normally repulsive topics, and I would eat it all up. It should be added that Diane Ruiz's somewhat ghoulish artwork add greatly to the macabre merriment. I offer a challenge: Pick up this book and read a paragraph. I'm betting that you won't put it down until you regretfully run out of pages.

This honest, quirky little book reminded me very much of Mary Roach’s Stiff, written for a YA or advanced middle grade audience. Most kids are intensely curious, especially about taboo topics having to do with our bodies. Caitlin Doughty answers real questions from children about death with her trademark humor and straightforwardness, demystifying one of the most intimidating topics for parents and teachers to tackle. She doesn’t rely on euphemisms or platitudes to discuss some of the squickiest details of our current and historical handling of dead bodies, but she also manages to write with respect for the personhood of a body and for various cultural traditions. As a librarian, I appreciated her thorough bibliography for each chapter. As a parent, I considered the ways we avoid these topics with kids, and how honest, factual conversations can make things feel less scary. I think this book fills a knowledge gap that some kids will really appreciate.