Named an "Outstanding Science Trade Book" by the National Science Teachers Association and the Children's BookCouncilAwarded the EUREKA! Honor Book Award for Excellence in Nonfiction by the California Reading AssociationFinalist Animal Behavior Society Outstanding Children's Book Award2026 Skipping Stones Honor Award for Nature & Ecology Books2025 Silver Winner for Picture Books By Foreword INDIES"Konerman’s educational picture book for young children explores the many surprising ways animals use mud to buildtheir homes, find food, and protect themselves. Each scene highlights the importance of mud for creatures from diverseclimates, such as a turtle that hibernates beneath layers of ice and otters that nest in temperate riverside burrows.The African elephant, meanwhile, easily overheats, while a hippo’s skin can crack if it gets too dry—both animals usemud as a kind of sunblock. The book also introduces more exotic species, such as the helmeted hornbill, which mixesmud with poop to build its nest and ward off predators. For each animal, Konerman includes intriguing facts that kidswill enjoy sharing with family and friends—for instance, the American alligator can lay up to 70 eggs at a time, andpigs love wallowing in mud for up to three hours each morning. These tidbits will appeal to young readers, especiallythose who still delight in playing in mud themselves. The playful prose features alliteration and colorfuldescriptions, though occasionally the language doesn't flow as smoothly as it could, which can be a minor distraction.Still, the book makes a compelling case for the utility and value of 'slippy, sloppy, sludgy mud.' Melanie Cataldo’sdetailed illustrations vividly demonstrate how each creature uses mud to its advantage. A painted turtle is shownsnoozing underground while children in coats and hats play in the snow above; a duck-billed platypus splashes in ariver as moonlight sparkles on the water. Flamingoes perch one-legged near their plateau-like nests, while Amazonfruit bats hang upside down in a moonlit tree with glowing branches. These pictures enrich the informative text,making for a fully immersive and engaging experience that will captivate young readers. “ — Publishers Weekly Konerman’s illustrated children’s book details the ways in which mud can be helpful in the daily lives of animals allover the world. In these colorful pages, the author discusses the benefits of having plenty of mud around when you’rea member of the animal kingdom. Several types of birds need mud in their everyday lives to help keep their nestssturdy and safe from predators. Macaws eat mud to calm their stomachs and counter poisons—they’re just one of over 200species that have been documented engaging in geophagia, or eating mud. Turtles all over the globe use mud to protectthemselves from inclement weather, whether it’s too hot or too cold. Both elephants and hippos roll in mud to coolthemselves off and protect their skin (“A nice layer of mud blocks pests and parasites that itch or make elephants andhippos sick”). The text’s layout pairs prey animals with natural predators that use mud in the same way; readers learnthat alligators use mud to protect their eggs, just like the flamingos they hunt. At the back of the book, each of theanimals mentioned in the main text receive a dedicated paragraph containing more detailed information. The book alsoincludes a glossary, author’s note, and labeled examples of various species’ footprints. Konerman uses repetitive textto introduce problems that animals encounter for which mud is the solution. (The seminarrative text is lyrical butcontains no fictional elements.) On some pages, there are additional, mud splattered text boxes providing more funfacts about the animals (“Duck-billed platypus has a rubbery snout that can sense its prey’s tiny electrical currentsin the mud”). Cataldo depicts animals in their environments in realistic illustrations, including details to helpreaders develop a deeper understanding of the material. An engaging resource for young nature enthusiasts." — KirkusReviews “In the fully illustrated pages of ‘Mud to the Rescue!: How Animals Use Mud to Thrive and Survive’ young children willlearn all about elephants, alligators, beavers, birds, pigs, and many more creatures as they find helpful (andsometimes unusual) uses for nature's squishy, squelchy soil...MUD! Illustrated throughout with the museum/art galleryquality artwork of Melanie Cataldo, the informative and fun descriptive commentary of Tanya Konerman, ‘Mud to theRescue!: How Animals Use Mud to Thrive and Survive’ is a charming, informative, entertaining, and unreservedlyrecommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library Wildlife PictureBook collections for children ages 4-8.”— Midwest Book Review "Squishy, marvelous mud is more than mud pie fun. Readers may already know that some animals (i.e. elephants, pigs,and hippopotamuses) need mud to protect their skin and themselves. Some birds use mud for their nests. Learn how mudhelps other animals. Teachers may want to read this book aloud because Konerman (author) selects descriptive wordsthat express how great the mud is for the animals. The illustrations (found throughout the book) support the text.There are insets with brief, additional information like mud keeping parasites away from the animal's skin or thelength of time flamingos need to build their mud nests. Bold print words are in the glossary. At the end of the book,there is additional information about the animals that appear in the main body of the text. Readers, wishing toexplore further, may find the list of resources (texts and websites) to be a helpful start. Children who love booksabout animals will probably enjoy this book. Teachers may find the author's note helpful for inspiring youngwriters."— Children's Literature "'Drip! Drop! Splatter! Splash!' When the rain falls dirt turns into mud and all around the world many animals use mudto survive, protect, thrive, and defend. Elephants use mud to keep cool and to keep away biting bugs. HelmetedHornbills use mud to keep their nests safe and secure. Platypus uses mud to find tasty treats. Flamingos use mud toprotect their eggs. Bats use mud to add minerals to their diet. And people use mud for fun! A fun and colorful bookabout the many ways animals use mud in their daily lives. (Ages 4-8)"— KIDSbookshelf
