You Can't See Your Bones with Binoculars

by Harriet Ziefert, Amanda Haley (Illustrator)

Text and illustrations, including xrays, provide a guided tour of the human skeleton, encouraging the reader to find and feel each bone as it is described.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Childrens

40 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2003

About the author

Harriet Ziefert grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University.

For many years, Ziefert was an elementary school teacher. She taught most grades from kindergarten to fifth grade. "I liked it," she said, but she stopped teaching when she had her own sons. When her children were older, Ziefert wanted "a bigger arena" for her work. She went to work at a publishing company, Scholastic in New York City, developing materials for teacher's guides for kindergarten language arts and social studies programs.

"About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to get a job as an editor, but no one would hire me as a trade editor. So I decided to write my own books." Since then, she has written several hundred books, mostly picture books and easy-to-read books. "I write books very quickly," she says, "in about twelve hours. I rewrite them three times over three days, and then they're done." She writes about twenty books a year.

Reviews

[Jami Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book guides children to becoming aware of their body. While the book introduces bones in a child’s body and how they change over time, the reader can easily apply this information to their own bodies. The book puts the bones into real-life situations, so the reader can relate and visualize. In example, when the elbow is presented in the bone sequence, the illustrations guide the story to a baseball field. A good activity to do in class to follow-up would be to have children identify (point) to their bones and then describe what activity the bone is commonly used in.

You Can’t See Your Bones with Binoculars was a favorite read with great believability. However, there could have been a little more background knowledge for the children as a preface to the story to assist young readers with such confusing terms.

[Brady]

You Can’t See Your Bones with Binoculars by Harriet Ziefert and illustrated by Amanda Haley

Summary: This 22 page nonfiction book is about where each of the 206 bones in our body can be found. The book uses illustrated characters and real x rays to explain how each bone is connected to the other, how they move, and what their real medical name is.

Analysis: I think this book is filled with good information and is depicted in such a way that would be easy for older elementary age students to read. I was even able to learn some new things but I wasn’t too overwhelmed.

Application: Yes, I would use this in my classroom. it’s very informational and could be a useful aid in any elementary science or anatomy class. The illustrations were playful and childlike while the X rays added an additional scientific interest.

[Kiyoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your skull were soft like a ripe cantaloupe, your brain could get mushed, and then you would have a very bad day!

It's hard to feel your thigh bone, or femur, because it's covered by big muscles, which you need for walking, jumping, and running away from alligators!

This is a fun, informative science book that will keep kids' attention while teaching interesting facts.

We read this book as an e-book during the Covid-19 quarantine.

[SaraKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from one factual inaccuracy, I thought this books was pretty entertaining. (A baby has 305 bones, not 450.) The layout was attractive and the set up was a great way to tell kids about the skeletal system. The illustrations are detailed and humorous at times. I do feel that the page telling the reader that knowing big words will make others call them a nerd is a bit uncalled for.

[Jaylyn Brantley]

This book is about all 206 bones in your body. I like this book because it was very interactive when it came to learning about the skeletal system. I thought it was cool to have to x rays overlap the actual kid's bones in pictures. I think this would be a great book to teach kids about their body and what it does.

[Jane]

Has song at top of pages

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

you can't see your bones with binoculars!... 5 stars

Anything that gets the kids into the story and laughing, asking questions is a most excellent 5 star read for us!

We talked about bodies and how they worked for days. We sang the head bones connected to the neck bone and on and on with the kids pointing to each bone and showing me and the kids all over again how it works. The pictures were funny and informative. I have preschoolers, ages 3, 4 and 5 and some of the information is over the younger ones heads but, I don't think it mattered to much I am a good improviser and so were the big kids who also teach the little ones by their words and actions. We also talked alot about taking care of our bones with healthy eating, exercising and trying not to break our bones by being and playing safely.

we talked about the differences between animal bones and people bones, the big and long names were too hard for them but it was fun for them to try.

[OnceUponALibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the other reviews, I think kids will like this book more than I did as an adult reader. Somehow the text seemed to be trying too hard, parts of it felt a little random to me. She used the "tail bone connected to the..." rhyme as a framework, but also "come on a tour" of your bones and feel the bones as you go along. I liked the incorporation of the real x-ray photos into the illustrations. Will definitely be one to recommend to students & teachers.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great intro to the skeletal system for my kindergartner. It directs her how to feel for her bones and shows x-rays of the bones inside cartoon bodies. It gives just enough info for this age, and uses humor, too.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a great look at the bones of the body. Even though there was lots of text for a short 4 yr old attention span, he listened all the way through. I think we'll probably get it again when he's older too.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have books on bones in our classroom already, but none that are this fun. Full of facts and illustrations with kid-appeal - this is sure to be a winner in our classroom. And, of course, I love the questions/activity suggestions.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but it didn't need to say that learning new words makes you a nerd!

[Eine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has interesting way to explain about 206 human bones.

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for my seven year old to read for nightly reading. Her 2nd grade class did a unit on the body. It made it fun to learn about bones.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome introductory to the names of the bones and how they're connected (Great for elementary kids)

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and informative. Teaches kids about the bones in a a simple, interesting and humorous way.
can either be read to a child or can be read by someone with level 3 skills.

[Out_of_Bounds Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was one of my sister's favorite from Harriet Ziefert. She wants to be a doctor, so she like learning about her bones.

[Kristen]

A good mix of actual x-ray pictures, interesting bone facts, and cheesy kid jokes.

[Steve Ongley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for active learners, You Can't See Your Bones with Binoculars covers the entire skeletal system tip to tail. Good usage of mixed media to illustrate the human body. Wordy with necessary explanations. All in all a good read for anyone looking to introduce the human body to a youngster.