Caitlin Doughty

Best-selling author and mortician Caitlin Doughty answers real questions from kids about death, dead bodies, and decomposition.

Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?

What happens if someone dies on a plane? Can we give Grandma a Viking funeral? Why don't animals dig up all the graves? Will my hair keep growing in my coffin after I'm buried? Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. In this book she offers factual, hilarious and candid answers to thirty-five of the most interesting questions posed by her youngest fans, sharing the lore and science of what happens to, and inside, our bodies after we die. Why do corpses groan? What causes bodies to turn strange colours during decomposition? and why do hair and nails appear longer after death? The answers are all within . . .

And Other Questions about Dead Bodies

Nicole Hobson

Ember Skies

A highly enjoyable romp through thought-provoking queries raised by children (or “tiny mortals”). 

Doughty tackles the death-curious questions with graceful honesty and some deliciously dark (but never disrespectful) humour. If you’ve read her two previous books, you will find some details repeated, but still presented in a fascinating way (such as sky burials or the cremation process). 

While Doughty is address questions posed by children, and the language used is accessible for children, this is not a “dumbed-down” children’s book. Each answer is paired with a beautiful and whimsical illustration and the content would certainly help to engage children in talking about and gaining comfortability with death and dying; something most of us - of any age - could do with. 

I found it difficult to put down, as after I finished reading each entry, I was so curious to know what the next question would be, which was inevitably followed by a desire to know the answer. So be forewarned you may find this to be a compulsive read!

Very nice and interesting book. Had an interesting conversation with my mother about these questions. I look forward to reading more of her books.

Erin G.

Ostensibly a kids book but I learned so much and loved the irreverent tone.

Very interesting book about death. I didn’t realize how little I knew about cremation, burial, or decomposition. I enjoyed the humorous perspective of the author, as it made the tough subject more easily digestible. 

Jeweliet Coffee

Kendall McClain

To be fair I think it’s challenging to write a book all about death veered towards children! The tone was just incredibly strange

Syahla Aurel

This was unexpectedly fun to read and I loved how the author can simplify the complexity of death (or corpse)

the way each answer was presented is really entertaining! learned a lot about dead bodies more than i probably should but i'm glad that the questions (that adults are usually ashamed to ask or don't usually think about) were discussed in this book.

Veronica Hawkins

It was a great fast read about what happens to dead bodies or what you could or couldn’t do with grandma. Very interesting!

Matija

Learned a lot, but the narration (from the author itself) was annoying at times, too childish. Came to find it more bearable as the book progressed, but here and there the big ol' cringe would hit you once again, usually at the end of the chapter 😅 But it's quirky I guess, and makes the book that more memorable.

This was so so interesting!! I love Caitlin Doughty's humour and writing is just so wonderful and this was such a joy to read! I'm gonna end up lending this to a few people just because the facts and questions are so good and the illustrations in here are so cool!!

I know some people said the answers and the book itself are a bit simplistic but I think it worked really well since it is questions from children, plus it made it really quick to read!

dija

This was a light and a rather humorous read considering the topic lmao which was very enjoyable. Though i found it a little more simplified i would've loved if it included more scientific "terms" and thourough explanations.

Dianné Ruz

Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. What would happen to an astronaut's body if it were pushed out of a space shuttle? Do people poop when they die? Can grandma have a Viking funeral? In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Doughty blends history, science, and anthropology to offer candid, hilarious answers to urgent questions about what will happen (to our bodies) after we die. This edition features an interview with a psychologist on how to talk about death and new and never-before-answered questions from readers. Beautifully illustrated by Dianné Ruz, Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? is "a charming guide into something we take enormous pains to avoid" (Paste).

Midori Kobayashi

3/5stars


fun little quirky book with quirky questions and weird answers, the author was seems just like me fr.

Krystal Karim

This isn’t just for kids!! I definitely think this was informational, regardless of age! Love that the author narrated all of their books and has an astounding amount of knowledge and research material to share about “death houses” and corpse leakage👏

Loved all three books!

Ryan LaFerney

"Death positive" mortician/author/Youtube personality Caitlin Doughty's Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? And other Questions about Dead Bodies is not only demonically funny, and engaging but it is also highly informative. And the idea behind this book is both brilliant and wise. Doughty sought out questions from tiny mortals (also known as kids) about Death. Kids tend to be rather inquisitive - and are apparently not afraid to ask Doughty, who is a popular funeral director, about death. 

While this book was written with kids in mind, it is really an accessible and engaging read for everyone who is curious about dead bodies and the process of death. 

I found it to be a humorous, enlightening, and humane read. Doughty knows how to make a heavy subject light.

Do not recommend reading this around food or the squeamish 😂💀

Sabrina D. 

Anna

Great take on the scary topic of death and related issues. It's witty, based on scientific facts and peppered by Caitlin's humor and (I listened to audiobook) narrated by author herself.

Heather

5 Stars ⭐️
Do you ever have morbid questions about death you’re too scared to ask?? Then you have to read this book! Mortician, Caitlin Doughty, answers tons of questions regarding death in a pretty humorous way. As humorous as you can get while talking about death, that is. She answers questions like:

“Can I keep my parent’s skulls after they die?”

“We eat dead chickens, why not dead people? “

“Can I be buried in the same grave as my hamster?”

It was a fun, quick read. An easy 5 stars.

Laura

Talking about death, particularly what happens to our body, can be a bit overwhelming. The author made death easy to digest with a educational perspective. I read this book by piece because of how taboo it is to talk about death. However, the author talks about it in a accesible language, with humor and i could feel even the genuineness of educating us while reading the pages. I can truly say that now i have a different perspective regarding death as well as what could happen to my body in that event.

Caitlin writes the way she speaks in her videos, which makes her books incredibly easy to read. Full of a lot of interesting questions with even more interesting answers. If you are curious about anything death related, or just like learning weird and wonderful facts, this makes for a unique and interesting read.

Sabetha Danes

I adore Caitlin Doughty. If you haven't watched her on YouTube, I highly recommend it. 

This is a fun question answer book for those death curious but faint of heart. 
While it is full of information regarding just about every aspect of death, it isn't gory and won't have you running for the toilet. 

Caitlin is normalizing death one book / video at a time for all ages, and I am totally here for it.

Mahogany Skillings

Children ask questions about death and dying, and this book answers them. Each question is interesting and often hilarious. So are the answers. This is a great coffee table book to pick up and read all at once or one question at a time in pieces.

Valentina dossi

It was really entertaining, I found answers to question I never really asked but still was curious about so I'm glad I read/heard this book (the narration by the author is amazing)

Christy Faun 

This read is a funny and accessible way to approach death questions and conversations. Caitlin’s books are reliably honest and confrontational, but also sincere in acknowledging the scary aspects along with the beautiful ones. 

Caitlin Snyder

I didn't really learn anything new from this book but Caitin Doughty is hilarious.

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death

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