In 2024 I was asked by author Chana Stiefel to illustrate her upcoming book ‘How Rude: Animals That Burp, Toot, Spit And Screech To Survive’, a non-fiction middle-grade book about the things that animals do that seem disgusting to us but are actually survival mechanisms.

Grown-ups expect kids to avoid all sorts of “rude” behaviors. But in nature, spits, burps, and toots can happen for surprisingly strategic reasons. When animals exhibit every gross habit—from toxic sneezes to deadly farts— they’re not aiming to act rude. They do what they can to survive.

This book features the most dazzlingly disgusting creatures on planet Earth—indecent insects, repulsive reptiles, cute-yet-crude mammals, and more. You’ll also hear from scientists who are investigating what humans can learn from these bold behaviors. Prepare to be gobsmacked by good reasons for rudeness.

‘How Rude’ was published November 2025 by Union Square Kids and is available to buy online at all major book retailers.