The Heart: All about Our Circulatory System and More! – An Informative Guide About How This Amazing Organ Works for Children (Ages 6-10)

by Seymour Simon

Join award-winning science writer Seymour Simon as he investigates one of the body’s most important organs: the heart. Acclaimed science writer Seymour Simon brings you this indispensable guide that takes you through the heart, from atrium to capillary and back again. By the time you finish reading these words, your heart may have beaten up to 50 times. As you walk, eat, and sleep, your heart continually pumps trillions of blood cells through thousands of miles of blood vessels inside your body. You may not be able to see your own heart, but all you have to do is look inside this book to see how this amazing organ works. With clear, simple text and stunning full-color photographs, readers will learn all about our hearts and how they work in this informative picture book. Perfect for young scientists’ school reports, this book supports the Common Core State Standards. Check out these other Seymour Simon books about the body:

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Reference, Biology, Health, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science:] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association).

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York, where he lives with his wife Liz Nealon.

You can follow Seymour on Facebook and on Twitter, as well as on his website, which offers free, downloadable Teacher Guides to his books for educators, parents and homeschoolers, as well as the popular Seymour Science Daily Blo

Reviews

[Zan Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This guide takes you through the heart, from atrium to capillary and back again. By the time you finish reading these words, your heart may have beaten up to 50 times. As you walk, eat, and sleep, your heart continually pumps trillions of blood cells through thousands of miles of blood vessels inside your body. You may not be able to see your own heart, but all you have to do is look inside this book to see how this amazing organ works. With clear, simple text and stunning full-color photographs, readers will learn all about our hearts and how they work."--

[Iris Cardozo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This informational book talks about the heart, it shows you what all we have in our heart. It also explains why we have blood vessels and what the blood vessels do while the heart is pumping. The pictures that are included help you understand the visuals the writer is explaining. This is a great book to show children and it will help them understand the way our heart works.

[L.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rising first grader stayed interested. She did have her heart repaired in infancy, so there’s an additional interest, but I think the author also did pretty well making a difficult topic understandable. I can imagine a second grader gleaning even more from this after some life experience (learning place value, learning to judge time and distance, etc.).

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good resource and supplement to my human body unit.

Q2021 book.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read aloud to the class. The author includes interesting facts that relate to our study of what it means to have a heart figuratively and literally.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book, it seves as a great reminder of how factual books don't need to be dry and boring. Full of detailed medical photographs and interesting facts, The Heart explains the circulatory system in clear simple language. Yet at it's core it serves to heighten the awe in which we view our miraculous bodies.

[Brent Rogers · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is very informative and all about the heart. Children need to learn about different body parts and organs, and this book is great. It has pictures and very descriptive explanations of what the heart does and how it operates.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Heart was slight dry and boring to me. I found the text to be overwhelming and presented in a unexciting format. I think that students would not be interested in the facts presented in this book. The pictures were the most exciting part.

[Emily Parsons]

This book is fascinating!! I think that kids will love to learn about the heart using this book! The pictures are fantastic and so detailed. This book kept me interested for over an hour. I would use this book when talking about the body and all the different organs and systems.

[Cwoods · Rating 5 out of 5]

The accompanying book to the lungs book. Stellar images! Detailed text with loads of details on the circulatory system.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

this would have been a good book to have in the cardiologist's office, and to see before heart surgery.

[Melissa Housholder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super informational book about our circulatory system. Great descriptions and examples to make it easier for kids to understand.

[Cilla Savary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best children's science books that I have ever read. I loved it. My kids both loved it. They wanted it read over and over again.

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 51238 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 7.2 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP

[Brianna Horton]

-1st-6th grade+
-This story takes readers through the various parts that make up the circulatory system. Children are able to see and hear about the various actions that take place each time a heart beats and the important part each component has.
-This informational text is insightful with the information it provides on the circulatory system. the scientific quality photos are helpful for children to see what each component of the circulatory system and the function it has in the body. Many age levels are able to use this book to understand the important job our circulatory has and the benefits of having a healthy heart.
-This book can be used in a health class to understand the heart, or even during a science lesson while talking about the body and the importance of eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle.