Guide to the Human Body: A Photographic Journey Through the Human Body

by Richard Walker

Revealed in fantastic computer-enhanced, three-dimensional pictures, the complex internal world of the human body is explored in DK Guide to the Human Body. In different sections of the book, the ingenious processes involved in moving, breathing, digesting food, producing babies, growing, and fighting off disease are explained in clear, lively text. The elaborate network of nerves that reach to the body's furthest extremities and carry data back to the brain is explored in fascinating detail. With page after page of groundbreaking imaging techniques in DK Guide to the Human Body, the layers of skin, flesh, bones, and other organs can be explored as they never have been before. Unravel 22 feet of small intestine and find out what happens to the good that travels through it at different stages of its journey. Be amazed by the power of the human eye and its ability to relay to the brain the difference between 10,000 different colors. Discover how the kidneys, at only 4 inches long, process the body's entire blood volume approximately 15 times each hour, 24 hours a day. Fantastic close-up photography shows the very cells that give our bodies substance and together make it run like a well-oiled and highly sophisticated machine. Front cover: A colored X-ray of the chest of an adult woman shows healthy lungs and heart. The two lungs -- in blue and orange -- can be seen through the ribs on each side of the central breastbone. The lungs supply the body with oxygen and carry away carbon dioxide. The heart -- in deep red -- occupies the space at lower center right. It pumps blood to and from the lungs and throughout the body.

Genres: Science

64 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2001

Reviews

[Libby Erwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Reaction: I really enjoyed this book and think that it would be a great asset to any classroom setting involving a discussion surrounding a science topic like this. The pictures were three dimensional and really informative and interesting, I almost got more enjoyment out of them then any other aspect of the book! It is important in informational books to keep the readers attention because they can sometimes get strenuous, and I think that this book did a nice job of doing so. I think it was also cool that it went through the entire body. A lot of books focus on a certain aspect of the body, but this book goes into detail on many all parts of the body, making it a good guide to understanding and looking back at for future reference.

Read Aloud: This book would be an excellent tool in a science class at almost any grade. Due to the heavy and large amounts of content in this book, this book could be used at almost every grade. You can use a lot of the detail for higher grades and focus more on the pictures with the younger grades, this book is very versatile and that is a very nice quality to have in a children's book. This book could be used as a reference to look back on or when you need to explain a certain part of the body to the students.

Independent reading: Individual students within the classroom could use this book for many different purposes. First, if a student broke a bone or something happened with a specific part of a students body, you could pull out this book to show students more information about what happened. Being able to put a picture or definition to something that happened provides the students a relatable way to think and understand concepts. This book also could just feed into students curiosity. Many parts of the body and its functions are so cool and interesting and young students feed off of this unknown information that is happening within their body.

[Natalie Brockmeier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was great and would love to have it on my shelf. First of all, the reason I picked it out from the library, (as I'm sure this would apply to many students as well) is due to it's extra large size and bright colored front. It's an attention getter, when most of my other books I had to struggle to find what I wanted to check out. Also, the details in this book are so informative and presented in a easy to read fashion.
I would definitely read this aloud in a science unit on the body. There are so many cool pictures that I'm sure students would love to see. I could assign a project that every group was working on a different system in the body, which this book outlines each of them. This book has big text and bright pictures which children would enjoy in a read aloud.
For an independent read, if a student ever told me they wanted to be a doctor, this would be a must read. As I mentioned, the text is big and approachable, while still being extremely detailed. This could give a student a real eye-opening experience, as there are some not so pretty things about the human body. However, for that reason I would suggest it to a more mature student in my class because there are some mature things in this book that an immature student would potentially not be able to handle.
The most impressive aspect of this book would be the captions and labels of the photographs. The pictures are overwhelming as some take up the full two pages, but the author made sure to label every piece and has a caption explaining to the reader what they're looking at. I would use this book as an example of how to properly label an image, and making a descriptive caption for my students.

[Adrianna LaGuardia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This informational books takes the reader through every sector of the human boy. From the brain to the bones and the neurons and the reproductive system. There is such an abundance of information that one cannot merely go through the entire thing in one shot. It starts with a general perspective of the human body as a whole but takes a turn to all the different sectors of the human body.

The book is exemplary when compared to the aspects of an informational picture book. There is a table of contents to help guide the reader. This enhances the reading experience, since the reader can flip through the different sections and find one that is of particular interest. The subheadings were in bol to aid in enhancing the text. There was so much text on the page the author ha to use different fonts, sizes, an colors to guide in the reader's ability to decipher. Despite the abundance of text and pictures, it was quite easy to navigate as the organization was there. There was even a directory in the back and a credits page, which showed the credibility of this informational picture book.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has great pictures and wonderful illustrations. Children or adults of all ages can learn many things from this book. Very recommended!

[B.J.]

It was ok