Picture Books (Science): Human Body

For non-fiction Monday, I am highlighting two books and one series on the human body.  To check out other non-fiction titles, hop over to Apples With Many Seeds.

My Body (ages 4-10) by Angela Royston 

This vibrant oversized book is perfect for a home or a school exploration of the human body!  It is broken up into sections: heart and lungs, bones and teeth, brain, digestive system, and skin.  Basic facts are presented about these various systems and organs interspersed with activities and experiments (usually no preparation required) that prompt children to become familiar with their bodies.  There is a huge emphasis on how to keep the body systems and organs healthy.  Colorful backgrounds and active photographs of children fill every page.   Simple diagrams are periodically included.  The large font text is clear and understandable.  Older children will be able to read it themselves.   My Body is a highly interactive book, appealing to children of all ages and learning styles. 

The Busy Body Book (ages 5-10) by Lizzy Rockwell 

Like My Body, the focus of The Busy Body Book is on keeping bodies healthy.  Cartoon drawn children jump, twist, and twirl through the pages.  Each of the body systems is covered:  skeletal, muscular, brain and nerves (nervous), stomach and intestines (digestive), and lungs (respiratory).  The diagrams are outstanding introductory teaching tools on the human body.  Key areas are labeled with quick facts, such as Ribs protect your heart and lungs, Teeth are the only part of the skeleton that you can see, and Thigh Bone is the longest bone in your body.  My children and I reviewed them numerous times.   The kids enjoyed competing in oral “pop quizzes” on them.  Whether you want to do a brief introduction to body systems and health or go more in depth, check out The Busy Body Book.

Body Systems series (ages 5-10) by Kay Manolis  

(Early Reader) 

When researching at the library for books on the human body, I found this remarkable series by Scholastic.  There are six books covering the following systems:  circulatory, digestive, muscular, nervous, respiratory, and skeletal.  Children are introduced to key terms and a basic overview of each system in concise, clear language.  Each page has only 2-5 sentences, making the information easy to digest.  Vibrant photographs, clear diagrams, and rich backgrounds make this series visually appealing.  It is a Level 4 Reader: Early Fluent.  Listeners as young as 5 may enjoy this series as well.  This series does not appear to be currently available, though I cannot imagine why.  Check your local library for these books. Search by author and system name.

For other non-fiction titles on this blog click HERE.