The Interactive Human Body

Explore the Human Body with Flaps, Wheels, Levers, Touch and Feel, and More!

By Ryan G Van Cleave & Juliana Eigner

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

This very attractive large board book is designed to allow curious children to explore the human body with ease. They can find out so much about how bodies work, the different systems, components, how everything interacts and more. It is a useful resource to have on hand when answering all those inevitable questions.

There are double page spreads on the respiratory, digestive, muscular, integumentary, circulatory, nervous and immune systems. A conspicuous absence is the reproductive system, maybe they thought that subject needs a book by itself.  It covers basic necessary information and some more advanced topics such as cell division and DNA.

The vocabulary can be challenging, e.g. antigens, proprioception, medulla oblongata, but everything is explained, and most of the text is in simpler terms. It all depends on which page you’re on.

The most appealing features are the clever use of bright colours, the many flaps and wheels, and the cutout body on each page, layered so that you can see each separate system.There is oodles of information on each page, clearly labelled diagrams, succinct captions and introductory paragraphs.

The book aims to create engagement with hands on learning, to build vocabulary and to encourage thinking and further exploration and as its attractive appearance immediately encourages children to open and explore further, it succeeds admirably.

Recommended for ages 7 to 10 but a bright 5 or 6 year-old could learn much here. A useful resource for parents and school libraries.

Bushel and Peck

Ryan G Van Cleave

Juliana Eigner