The Belly Book

PreS-Gr 2—This book encourages children to think positively about a body part that is often hidden away or rejected. What begins as a riddle written across two bare midriffs—"Every daughter, every son,/has their own—but only one—with a button in the middle./Can you guess this little riddle?"—ends with an affirmation: "Bellies, we love you!/Bellies so clever—/you are a part of us forever!" Children will see how abdomens vary in appearance and why they are an important part of our anatomy. Gouache illustrations of belly buttons, belly flops, etc., add playfulness to the text. The animal bellies that appear beside the human ones give examples of the little ways we are all the same. Read Manushkin's The Tushy Book (Feiwel & Friends, 2009) to introduce children to another unappreciated body part.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada