'Halls enthusiastically breaks down the decomposition process in this systematic look at scavengers. 'Gross,' to echo the author, but 'also amazing.''― Kirkus Reviews ( Journal) Big, bright color photos of, for instance, salmon being torn apart by a bald eagle and a raccoon chowing down on a dead squirrel add further zest to these easily digestible observations. The relegation of the fullest mentions of bacteria and fungi to the end conveys a misleading impression that their work doesn't begin until the bigger dogs (etc.) have had their fills, but the course of all deceased animals from corpse to scattered chemicals is otherwise clearly charted. ('Why let the meat go to waste?' says a Washington state fish and wildlife official pragmatically about harvesting roadkill.) Along with dissecting decomposition's usual course, the author offers piquant research findings, such as the surprisingly divergent fates of pig corpses planted on the seabed in well- and less-well-oxygenated waters as well as recently discovered evidence that T. After breaking down the stages of decomposition (which do 'not smell good'), Halls dishes up profiles of some of nature's recyclers―from blowfly larvae ('born to eat') and the culinarily 'versatile' pill bug to vultures, crabs, and human motorists. 'Carrion (not soul) eaters crawl, trot, swim, fly, and. A top purchase for robust collections.'― School Library Journal ( Journal) VERDICT Though there may be many 'oohs' and 'yucks' from readers, this may well be a popular title. White print in red boxes adds a great deal to the informative text. Some captions are enlightening, while others repeat information already found in the longer narrative. Color photos of excellent quality vary in size, including full-page. (Family is permitted to observe the ritual, but tourists are not.) Burial at sea is also mentioned. The author briefly describes 'sky burials,' which often take place in the mountains of Mongolia and Tibet in which a human corpse is offered to the vultures of the Larung Valley. Halls also explains how various sea creatures help remove dead matter form the oceans. Furry animals, such as squirrels, skunks, and raccoons, hunt for their food, but are also willing to enjoy a free carrion meal. One chapter describes creepy-crawly creatures, such as blowflies, maggots, roly-polys, burying beetles, and meat ants.

Halls begins with the death of a wild boar, and describes what and how the process of decomposition takes place. 'Readers who enjoy the gross side of life (and death) will find this title to their liking.

Death Eaters by Kelly Milner Halls