6 brilliant children's books about the human body
Emma Young, author of What If... You Didn't Make Snot?, is an award-winning science and medical journalist, and writer of more than twenty books for children and adults. Emma joins us to recommend her top body books for young readers to choose with their National Book Tokens.
"We all have one, so no wonder we're all fascinated by the human body – and kids most of all. Traditionally, a young reader who wanted to learn more pretty much just had encyclopaedias. Now, to engage as many children as possible – especially those who might think they aren't that into non-fiction, or even don't much like reading at all (I'm honestly not thinking of my younger son…) – authors are trying all sorts of approaches. I've picked out six of what I think are the best. Apologies in advance for including some of my own work!" Emma Young
Photo © Marina Hardiman
Amy Gets Eaten written by Dr Adam Kay and illustrated by Henry Paker (3+)
Amy is a piece of sweetcorn. She gets eaten. This award-winning picture book explains what happens next. With Adam Kay as the author, this just had to be outrageously funny – and it is. Young children will love the talking vegetables and the grossness of Amy’s "poo-normous" adventure. Parents will love the fact that their kids are learning accurate facts about digestion. (And the talking vegetables. Honestly, they're irresistible).
You and Your Body: A First Look Inside the Human Body by Dr Punam Krishan (5+)
Who better to give young readers their first peek under their skin than BBC Morning Live resident GP Dr Punam Krishan? Having listened to Dr Punam talk about this book, I know how important it was to her to provide reliable body information to the youngest children. This colourful head-to-toe tour also features dozens of flaps, perfect for little three-phalanged appendages (aka fingers).
My Very Important Human Body Encyclopedia (5+)
At 224 pages, this modern take on an encyclopaedia is bursting with facts and explanations, and represents disabilities, neurodiversities, and physical differences throughout. Of course, readers will learn the basics, but they'll also lap up stories about life-changing discoveries and record-breaking human bodies. With really clear design and digestible nuggets of text, this book is very easy to dip into. Less so to dip out.
Kay's Anatomy written by Dr Adam Kay and illustrated by Henry Paker (8+)
This book starts out genuinely hilariously funny, and never lets up. I've just skimmed through my copy, to try to pick out some of my favourite lines, and found myself stopping and smiling, if not outright laughing, at every single paragraph. Kay just isn't capable of writing a not-brilliant sentence. He can even make the lens funny. (“Lens – this is the name for a group of people called Len. It's also the name for a little magnifying glass that sits behind the iris). Utterly, utterly brilliant.
A Really Short Journey Through the Body by Bill Bryson, adapted by Emma Young, and illustrated by Daniel Long, Dawn Cooper, Jesús Sotés, and Katie Ponder (8+)
I have to confess, I did this children's adaptation of Bill Bryson's bestseller for adults, The Body: A Guide for Occupants. If you've read that book – or any other book by the inimitable Bill – it won’t come as a surprise to hear that working on this title was a complete joy. I was able to pack this children's version not just with so many of the astonishing facts and stats from the adult book, but lots of the brilliant stories, too. And thanks to the illustrator's phenomenal work, it looks fantastic. The cover still makes me think – illogically, I know – of a science sweet shop!
Everything You Know About the Human Body is Wrong! written by Emma Young and illustrated by Maribel Lechuga (8+)
Confession: yes, I did write this one. But I certainly didn't come up with the concept for this series (Everything you know about … is Wrong!) – and it gives so much scope for clearing up some common misunderstandings, as well as explaining the latest scientific research. I was really keen to get some of this new work out to children, and to include some psychology (as this is a fundamental aspect of how the brain 'works'). If there's one recent finding featured in this book that I'd most love all children to know about, it's this: other people like you more than you think.
About What If... You Didn't Make Snot?: And Other Amazing Human Body Questions by Emma Young (7+)
What If... You Didn't Make Snot? is not your usual science book. The answers to 33 silly-sounding and laugh-out-loud questions cover all the main body topics – from blood vessels to the brain and nerves to nutrition (as well as the important functions of snot!)
With bite-sized text and hilarious illustrations, plus plenty of science facts that kids will be racing to share with friends and family, this book is perfect for even the most reluctant reader.
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