About the Book
This book gives readers information about our digestive system.
About the Author :
Isabel Thomas studied Human Sciences at Oxford University before working in the wonderful world of children's publishing. She has written dozens of books for children and teenagers, and is a trained literacy tutor. Isabel lives in Cambridge, UK, with her husband and three rambunctious sons.
Review :
(3) 4-6 Inside My Body series. Double-page spreads begin with questions related to the human muscular or digestive system. The answers, in the form of short paragraphs, bulleted lists, labeled diagrams and schematics, charts, and captioned photos, pack a surprising amount of information into relatively uncluttered pages. A final spread reiterates major points. Sidebars debunk common misconceptions, give practical advice, and add quirky facts. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. GBH (Gail Hedges) The Horn Book GuideFall 2011-- "The Horn Book Guide"
Double-page spreads begin with questions related to the human muscular or digestive system. The answers, in the form of short paragraphs, bulleted lists, labeled diagrams and schematics, charts, and captioned photos, pack a surprising amount of information into relatively uncluttered pages. A final spread reiterates major points. Sidebars debunk common misconceptions, give practical advice, and add quirky facts.-- "The Horn Book, Nonfiction Notes"
These titles are organized by questions that introduce the body system, its function, and its care, but the questions are not stimulating. A final spread reviews the topic. Some subtitles don't accurately reflect the content. Why Do I Burp barely covers diet, while How Do My Muscles Get Strong is mostly on exercise. In Why Do I Have Periods, the photo choices put a depressing spin on menstruation. Though the large illustrations, photographs, micrographs, and insets including Practical Advice, Extreme Facts, and Science Behind the Myth add variety, minor problems mar the illustrations in several titles. For example, one in Asthma Attack shows the heart on the wrong side of the body, and in Pulse, a doctor shown with a patient is not using a stethoscope as the caption states. School Library Journal April 2011-- "School Library Journal"
This is part of the Inside My Body series written especially for grades 3 through 5. It is a great nonfiction book for the elementary teacher's library. This important book will engage readers as they learn more about their anatomy and health. The book starts off by asking: Why do I burp? It then goes on to describe all about digestion, saliva, noisy burps, the stomach, and the small intestines. Did you know one of the top ten burp hazards is drinking through a straw! All new terms are bolded and contained in a glossary at the end of the book. Colorful detailed illustrations are abundant throughout. In addition, Extreme Body facts and Science behind the Myth sidebars contain interesting pieces of information for the reader. Detailed anatomy illustrations are also present throughout each book in the series. The end of each book contains a glossary, a section listing additional books and websites to read, and an index. http: //www.nsta.org/recommends/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=20585-- "NSTA Recommends"
Why Do I Burp? is a catchy title that the author uses to draw us to her book. If one is looking for the answer, one need not read beyond the first page of text (p. 5). A bit further we learn that the book is actually a simplified introduction to the digestive system, not an exhaustive explanation of human gas emissions, as the title would suggest. It succeeds in this endeavor with stunning photographs and purposeful diagrams, but do not expect to read about simple experiments or names of any hormones, enzymes, or minerals that are essential to this process. Just the very basics are given. It isn't clear why the author included factual oddities in an introductory book on digestion. These include the saliva of tarantulas, the vomit of houseflies, a reference to cacti-eating iguanas, and an odd reference to the Tomatina festival in Spain during which willing players throw tomatoes at each other, complete with photos. On page 9, the five tastes are mentioned, but the newest one (umami, or savoriness) is only defined in the glossary. The unusual Japanese word umami was officially adopted in 1985 as it's discoverer, scientist Kikunae Ikeda, determined that the tongue could discern glutamates (e.g., MSG) and nucleotides in addition to the other well known tastes (sweet, sour, salty, and bitter). Children will most likely find an interest in the websites listed, especially the one billed as the yuckiest site on the internet. The USDA website displays its recently altered food pyramid in the form of a plate, which is easier to comprehend. While inappropriate as a textbook, young readers might find the photos more interesting than the text, the substance of which can be gleaned from many internet sites. Given that there's only about 14 pages of text, once all of the glossy photos and diagrams are accounted for, it's a short read indeed. --John D. Chilgren, Education Business Group, U.S. Treasury, Portland, ORScience Books and Films 10/6/2011-- "Science Books and Films"
