My Body: Explained and Illustrated

Gr 3–6—This title is a blend of design and language for an artful introduction to human anatomy. Twenty-three sections divvy up the body from skeleton to reproduction. While the book is a German import, the writing is colloquial and friendly: the skeleton is referred to as sturdy scaffolding; the skull is a natural hard hat; and joints are smooth operators. Each spread explains the topic at hand, with some receiving a full spread (nerves) and others sharing a spread with similar or related features (smell and taste). The graphiclike illustrations, rendered in soft hues, are large and clear, often using a shaded-out human figure to highlight the topic subject—illuminated skeletons, bright circulatory systems, and bold organs all direct readers' eyes. Occasional insets zoom in on a nail bed or the blood stream. Key words appear in white capsulelike shapes and are defined within the text (there is no glossary) and, at times, further explained in sidebars. A few concerns: the lack of an index and the white text, placed over colored backgrounds, can be a strain to read. In addition, this title appears to be geared toward a male audience, as menstruation is covered in a single sentence and is followed by the questionable statement "Once that happens [menstruation], the sex hormones are in charge," without a specific explanation of "sex hormones" and a clarification of what "in charge" entails.