Breathing

School Library Journal

Gr 2-3Basic information paired with colorful photographs and diagrams give students an overview of the workings of the body. A single paragraph introduces each topic, highlighting the tasks performed by each system. This is followed by a series of double-page spreads, each concentrating on a single body part or function. Birth traces human life from fertilization to old age. Breathing supplements an outline of the respiratory system with brief discussions of speaking and singing, coughing and sneezing, and breathing underwater and at high altitudes. Eating outlines the digestive and excretory systems, with added information on food, calories, and exercise. Movement encompasses the skeleton, joints, vertebrae, muscles, ``hands and arms,'' ``legs and feet'' and ``making faces.'' A final section in each volume called ``Things to Do'' is somewhat misleading; rather than experiments or activities, it briefly summarizes the text, and then implores readers to take care of their bodies. The writing is clear and informative. New terminology appears in bold type and is defined both within the text and in the glossary. While the pictures are pertinent, many of them are stock photographs that have been seen before.Denise L. Moll, Lone Pine Elementary School, West Bloomfield, MI