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| Kate Lennard |
| Hutchinson Children's Books |
| 0091893445 |
| Aug 2006 |
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A pint-size professor, Little Genius, acts as a tour-guide on this whistle-stop tour through the anatomy, functions and health of the brain. This guided approach by a peer creates a feeling of informality and of direct involvement by children in the learning process.
The brain, its substance, size, form and location in the human body are introduced. Basic technical language is used, such as ‘skull’ and ‘brain-stem’ with clear illustrations and associations – the brain stem is compared with a flower stem – to aid both comprehension and memorisation. Awareness of the basic control function of the brain is provided through lift-the-flap paper engineering depicting the right hand side of the body and the left half of the brain revealing the left half controls the right side of the body, turning the flap indicates the reverse. The more specific functions and tasks that different sectors of the brain are responsible for are emphasised through the use of a colour-segregated ‘brain map’ and a series of vignette illustrations depicting Little Genius in the process of carrying out various tasks against the backdrop of the colour corresponding to the respective part of the brain responsible for its handling. Brain sizes in different creatures and in different stages of human development are outlined, as too is the brain’s need for blood, oxygen, rest and stimulation. Though Little Genius might be a small protagonist, he introduces big ideas, content here is pleasingly cerebral both in matter and in method.
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Non-Fiction: August 2006 Archives
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| Kate Lennard |
| Hutchinson Children's Books |
| 0091893453 |
| Aug 2006 |
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Continuing his explorations into the human physiology, Little Genius, the pint-sized professor here introduces readers to bones. Functions of the bones in providing protection and structure for the body are clearly explained with whimsical analogies – without the skull, the brain ‘would slosh about inside your head like a poached egg in a plastic bag - that allow for ease of comprehension. Cross-over with the book on brains is provided in the section on the skull.
Basic specialised language is introduced and explained such as ‘nerves’, ‘ligaments’ and ‘bone marrow’. Lift-the-flap ‘bone map’ forms the basis for a fun quiz where readers are challenged to find the ‘skull’, ‘finger bones’ and other parts of the human skeleton. Other creatures with skeleton are detailed as well as those without skeletons – sharks and jellyfish – and those with exoskeletons. Foods needed for healthy bone growth and things to avoid that damage bones are also detailed. A great little book to help children begin to bone up on the skeleton and that ties in with curriculum learning.
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