Body Watch

School Library Journal

ea. vol: illus. by David Anstey & others. 47p. diags. photogs. glossary. index. (Discovering Science Series). Facts on File. 1987. PLB $10.95. Gr3-5 Basic introductory information for intermediate readers in two-page chapters. Body Watch begins with an overview of the body and then treats each system separately. Sections on growth and fitness are also included. One weakness is the confusing mix of scientific and common terms. One dia gram, for instance, identifies the ``upper arm bone,'' the ``radius,'' and the ``ulna.'' Another refers to the ``diges tive'' system and the ``blood'' system. Full-color illustrations complement the text although not all are labeled clearly. More accurate and comprehensive alter natives for this age group include Chris tiaan Bernard's Junior Body Machine (Crown, 1984), Your Wonderful Body (National Geographic, 1982), and Ron Wilson's How the Body Works (La rousse, 1979). Food for the World covers such diverse topics as climate, nutrition, photosynthesis, food preservation, gar dening, drought, and famine in addition to offering specific information about basic types of foods. The illustrations are particularly effective in portraying the worldwide scope of this book; for exam ple, a veterinarian from Pakistan and modern farm machinery in India are shown. Laurence Pringle's Our Hungry Earth (Macmillan, 1976) covers some of the same information, but for an older audience. Kathryn Weisman, Willow brook School, Glenview, Ill.