Human Body Learning Lab: Take an inside tour of how your anatomy works by Betty Choi

I've been keeping this on my "to read" list for a while, as I couldn't tell from the description whether it was a straight-forward book, or included activities that would make it part of a storytime kit. The saga of my human body kit and the constant losing/breaking of bits of the anatomy is another story...

Anyways, this turned out to be a very nice overview of the human body with hands-on activities to expand each section. It's written by a pediatrician and the book is divided into the different systems of the human body. After an introduction and a general explanation of cells and how the body works, readers move on to the nervous system, senses, skin, skeleton, muscles and then to the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and urinary system. The last three sections deal with the immune system, with a section on vaccines, the endocrine system and a matter-of-fact overview of the reproductive system. Back matter includes links to explore further, an index, etc.

Each section is about 8-10 pages long and each includes or ends with hands-on activities. For example, the digestive system section starts with a brief overview, continues with a diagram and explanation of each part of the system, offers an experiment in recreating the esophagus-stomach system, and finishes with a brisk overview of healthy stool and the Bristol Stool Chart. Interspersed throughout the pages are inset paragraphs on why we fart or vomit, the importance of healthy eating, and some information on the appendix.

The section on the reproductive system includes diagrams of the reproductive systems, an image of an infant in the womb, and basic information on how a baby is made with sentences like "A sperm from the testicles combines with an egg from the ovaries. This process is called fertilization." The action section is creating play-dough embryos, showing them from the formation and division of cells to the bean-sized embryo.

The book is of necessity general about topics and concepts, but is generally honest and brisk about addressing various topics. There is a section on diabetes that differentiates between Type 1 and Type 2, although it simplifies Type 2 into being "often caused" by excessive sugar and lack of exercise. There is a section encouraging kids to talk to a trusted adult and use the proper anatomy terms if someone makes you uncomfortable or doesn't listen when you say "no." Other than the mention of diabetes and food allergies, disabilities or illnesses are not really addressed.

Verdict: This is an excellent overview of the human body; although of necessity it is brief and simplistic in tackling complicated topics, it's an excellent starting point and the activities will be of interest to both classrooms and homeschool families. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781635864793; Published 2022 by Storey; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library