Grade K–3Nature & Ecosystems

More Dung! A Beetle Tale

Written and illustrated by Frank Weber

A dung beetle has found the most magnificent pile of dung imaginable — and naturally, the only reasonable response is to want MORE. In this hilarious and surprisingly educational picture book, Frank Weber takes readers deep into the world of dung beetles: creatures that are, against all odds, absolutely essential to life on Earth. Packed with laugh-out-loud humor and genuine science, More Dung! A Beetle Tale makes a compelling case that the grossest job in nature might also be the most important one.

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From the Library Director

More Dung! is exactly the kind of book that makes children shriek with delight and then quietly learn something profound. Frank Weber has pulled off a genuine feat: a picture book that is simultaneously one of the funniest things you'll read aloud this year and a genuinely rigorous introduction to decomposition, nutrient cycling, and the role of insects in healthy ecosystems. The dung beetle protagonist is irresistible — enthusiastic, unself-conscious, and utterly committed to his work — and the illustrations are gorgeous: earthy watercolors with a warmth and texture that make the natural world feel alive. This is a perfect book for science units on ecosystems, food webs, and decomposers, and it pairs beautifully with conversations about how we value (or fail to value) the unglamorous but essential work that keeps the world running. Highly recommended for K–3 classrooms and library story times. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Big Idea

Every creature — even the ones doing the grossest jobs — plays a vital role in keeping ecosystems healthy and alive.

Discussion Questions

1
The dung beetle is absolutely thrilled about dung. Why is dung so exciting to a dung beetle? What does dung give the beetle that it needs? Can you think of something that seems gross or unpleasant to you but is actually really important?
2
What would happen to the world if there were no dung beetles? What other animals or plants depend on what dung beetles do? What does this tell us about how ecosystems work?
3
The dung beetle does a job that most animals (and people) would find disgusting. Do you think the beetle minds? What does the beetle's attitude tell us about how we should think about jobs that seem unpleasant but are really important?
4
Can you think of jobs that people do that are a bit like the dung beetle's job — not glamorous, but really important? What would happen if no one did those jobs? Do we appreciate those people enough?
5
Decomposers like dung beetles break down waste and return nutrients to the soil. Why is that important for plants? For animals? For us? What would soil be like without decomposers?
6
The book is funny partly because the beetle is so enthusiastic about something most of us find gross. Why is it funny when someone loves something unexpected? Does the beetle's enthusiasm make you feel differently about dung beetles?
7
Dung beetles use the sun and stars to navigate. What does that tell you about how sophisticated insects can be? Does learning that change how you think about bugs in general?
8
If you could interview the dung beetle, what would you ask? What do you think the beetle would most want humans to understand about its work and why it matters?

Activity: The Unsung Heroes of the Ecosystem

Students investigate decomposers and other 'unsung heroes' of ecosystems — creatures whose work is essential but often overlooked — and make the case for why their chosen organism deserves more appreciation.

1
Before reading, ask students: What animals do you think are the most important in nature? Take responses (likely: lions, eagles, whales, bees). Write them on the board. Then ask: Has anyone ever said 'dung beetle'? Introduce the book: today we're going to meet an animal that might be the most important one on this list — and it's definitely the grossest.
2
Read More Dung! aloud with full enthusiasm — lean into the beetle's excitement, pause for the illustrations, and let students react to the grosser moments. After reading, return to the list on the board: should we add the dung beetle? Where does it rank? What would happen to all the other animals on the list if dung beetles disappeared? Guide students toward understanding the concept of a keystone species and the role of decomposers.
3
Introduce the 'Unsung Heroes' research activity. Each student (or pair) chooses one decomposer or ecosystem helper that most people overlook — options include: earthworms, vultures, fungi, termites, flies, millipedes, sea cucumbers, or their own choice. Students research: What does this organism do? What would happen without it? Why don't most people appreciate it? What's one surprising or amazing fact about it?
4
Students create a 'Help Wanted' poster or 'Employee of the Month' certificate for their organism. The poster must include: the organism's name and a drawing or description, its job title (e.g. 'Chief Nutrient Recycler'), its key responsibilities, and one reason it deserves more appreciation. Encourage creativity — the goal is to make someone who has never thought about this organism suddenly care about it.
5
Gallery walk: post all posters around the room and give students sticky notes to leave comments on each other's work — one 'wow' fact they learned and one question they still have. Close with a class discussion: What did you learn about ecosystems that surprised you? What does it mean for an ecosystem to be healthy? What can we do to protect the unsung heroes in our own environment?

Standards Connections

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K-3.3 — Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K-3.7 — Use information gained from illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K-3.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, supply facts and definitions, and provide a concluding statement
NGSS 2-LS2-2 — Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants; extended to decomposers and nutrient cycling
NGSS 5-LS2-1 — Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment
SEL — Social Awareness: Recognize the contributions of others; appreciate roles that are often overlooked or undervalued in a community or ecosystem