Outside-In

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2 A primary introduction to several body systems, including skin and muscles, respiration, bones and teeth, digestion, and circulation. The information given about each system is brief, and most technical terms have been simplified. Smallman makes good use of analogies to explain several body functions (for example, exhaling is explained as ``pushing air out of a balloon pump''). Most notable, however, are the ``lift-the-flap'' illustrations, which allow children to observe the outside and then lift to see the system from the inside of the body. The illustrations are somewhat crudely drawn, but they are clear and help to explain the text. However, the ``lift-up'' ones may not hold up for many circulations. Several illustrations show frontal nudity. While the various ``Let's-Read-and-Find-Out'' titles (Crowell) give more information about individual subjects, this is still a good, if fragile, one-volume introduction. Kathryn M. Weisman, Willowbrook School, Glenview, Ill.