Body Bones

by Shelley Rotner

In this fascinating introduction to skeletal systems, images show how different types of skeletons work. Full-color photographs of people and animals are overlaid with illustrations of bones to show these supporting frameworks. Kids will learn that bones come in all shapes and sizes to serve myriad functions and will be able to compare human skeletons to those of other vertebrates.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

When I was five, I refused to go to kindergarten. I declared it was for babies. I already knew how to read, but what really bothered me the most was that the kids mixed up the paintbrushes and colors at the easel so there was never true blue, red, yellow or green. Every time my teacher turned her back, I left the room and headed to the first grade class diagonally across the hall. Luckily, I had a friend there who happily shared her desk with me until the teacher noticed and sent me back to kindergarten. After many successful escapes, a trip to the principal and some testing, I was officially moved to that first grade class with beautiful autumn leaves painted on the door.

Reviews

[Francesca Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great non fiction book that introduces children to the skeletal system. It shows great images of animals and there bones and relates it to themselves. It also shows how they can make their bones grow stronger. It was also interesting to see how they spread out the words so you could see the whole picture.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a recommendation from FarmhouseSchoolhouse.com and I didn't think much about it when I first heard of it, but my 4-year-old took a sudden and immense interest in anatomy, so I ordered this for him and he's never looked back. He pours over this book and wants to show me all the different bones in all the different bodies. Books that inspire my kids to enjoy reading inspire me.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads very textbook-y.
There's nothing that ties it together. It feels like there was an assortment of bone concepts that they wanted people to know and they jump from one to another.

The photographs that show the body and then an overlap of the skeleton are very cool.

There's a lot of good material here, but I just feel like the execution lacks something.

[Danielle Robertson Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating approach to bones. As I read this to my toddlers, I was as enthralled as they were.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What are bones made of, and what do they do? This book attempts to answer these questions both in reference to human and animal skeletons. Readers learn how bones give shape, protect organs, and help in movement. The author explains how bones change as we grow, and how different types of bones serve different purposes. Several pages are devoted to teeth, and several others to animals without bones. There's even a little information on fossils, tendons and ligaments, joints, and how we can promote healthy bone growth. Crisp photographs, some overlaid with illustrations of the bones inside, accompany the text. While the flow of the book is occasionally choppy, this is a nice overview of the subject and would be a handy addition to library collections.

[Merrilyn Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different-from-the-usual bones book. Aimed at the K-2 crowd, each page shows bodies (humans, various animals) with their skeletons superimposed over their skin. It may sound creepy, but it actually works. I think that students will find it fascinating to see what is under their skin, how skeletons look when in action, and to see other animals in motion with their skeletons, too. Some non-skeleton, exoskeleton, and cartilage-only creatures are shown as well. There is an index, but no table of contents (this is a book not meant for research). There is a glossary, but the words in the glossary are not noted (bold/italics) in the text.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Body Bones” is a companion volume to an earlier collaboration by Rotner and White, “Body Actions.” In “Body Bones, photographs of people and animals and animals are overlaid with illustrations of bones to show how bones serve a myriad of functions and come in a variety of shapes to form the framework of bodies. Comparisons between human skeletons and other vertebrates are accompanied by facts about bone growth and how bones work with other body systems. A brief glossary and index round out the text. This is an intriguing approach to introductory anatomy.

[Codi Ebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Body Bones:

This is a great book that shows the bone structure of multiple different organisms. It just gives a little "blurp" about the organism's bone structure and tells you a little something about that organism. The pictures are decently sized where students can look at them and receive an image in their head so they comprehend the different bone structures. I think this is a great resource and informational book that students can learn from. There is not too much information on each organism and it is easy to understand.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basic skeletal information is presented in attractively illustrated format. Cutaway photographs with superimposed bone diagrams give a highly unique effective view of bone structure. The text is simple but fact filled detailing function of bones, comparisons for other animals and care of bones. Use in grade school health lessons. This is an excellent addition to any school library. A glossary and index are provided.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review to SWON libraries.

[Alison Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presents an introduction to various skeletal systems. The pictures show how the the systems work. Students will learn that bones come in all shapes and sizes. They can compare human and animal skeletal systems. Joints and tendons are covered in the book and some tips are given to keep bones healthy. A glossary and index is provided.

This book is great for students in grades Kinder thru 5th. It would be a great resource for the science lesson on the human body and skeleton.

[Tim Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really a good source on bones for kids around 5-7. Great graphics again with really clear use of language, simplified for kids. A really nice attribute of this selection is that it compares human skeletal systems with those of other animals. Unfortunately, this book doesn't list any websites or places to find extension activities. That's not such a bad thing, I guess, since the links provided in the two other books I read weren't active or were just poorly designed.

[funny dot J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book with bones drawn on top of pictures of people and animals. It describes different forms of bones on animals and their functions.

I like how the book content is organized. The text is easy to read aloud to pre-schoolers and at a level that they can understand. My kids have seen many bones while visiting a natural history museum, so this is a great book to read after that trip.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good companion to Body Actions by same author/illustrator collaborators.

[Mlh346comcast.net]

J 573.76 ROT Photographs are overlaid with diagrams of skeletons. Facts about bones and growth included.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for STEM/STEAM storytimes -- on bones. (Paired with Skeleton Hiccups).
Kids love the illustrations that allow you to get a glimpse of bones -- a cool see-inside aspect.

[Cassie Davis]

Great non fiction book. It teaches kids really fun facts about animals and about people.