Head to Toe: An Introduction to the Human Body

Here is the first book in a new series supporting curriculum topics, which has been created by this new publisher. Packed with interesting information and fascinating facts about how the human body works, the hardback is arranged so that we start at the head and work down to the toes. The contents page is colour coded and links to an illustration of a person; this novel feature works very well.

Each section/body part has a two-page spread and I learned so much as I read this whole work from cover to cover in one sitting. This surely suggests there was plenty going on to keep me stimulated and eager to turn the pages. Bite sized information such as ‘The human eye can detect around 10 million different colours’ (p.16) and ‘Our noses can detect over one trillion different smells’ (p.24) was new to me and I even learned that ‘Your left lung is smaller than your right lung, to make room for your heart’ (p.33).

Throughout the book there are clear diagrams, such as the many parts of an ear shown on p.23. For the digestive system there is a full-page illustration on p.44 and there are a couple of attractive double page spreads where the reader turns the book vertically. Lots of research and care have obviously gone into the writing, illustration and production of this work and it has been pitched well for younger students. Complicated names for parts of the body are either explained as they occur or there is a useful glossary at the back. It would be helpful to include a note indicating that words in bold correspond to words in the glossary.

Another unusual (for children’s books) but very useful feature is the list of references included which show where the author found her material. I can recommend this book for Key Stage 2 students and upwards as it could very easily spark an interest in human biology. It would be ideal for an adult to share with a child as there are some complicated processes described, and discussion would be fruitful.