BODY BONES

Lots of facts about bones fill this introductory look at the skeletal-system specifics of humans and several animals, though it is the photos overlaid with bones that readers will be most likely to remember.

Rotner’s photos of children at play (most apparently Caucasian, alas) and animals are strikingly augmented by White’s illustrations, which show the bones underneath the skin. There is a young ballerina in front of a mirror; a woman walking; a double-page spread showing growth with photos of a baby, a preschooler and a grown woman; an elephant, a horse, etc. These illustrations help highlight the jobs of the skeletal system: to give shape, support, protect and help the body move. An early illustration shows the internal organs the rib cage protects. When the text talks about the number of bones in the body, horses, birds, rabbits, fish and snakes are given for comparison against humans (baby and adult). The text also discusses how bones are adapted to animals’ needs: An elephant has thick leg bones, while a bird has hollow bones, and the cartilage of a tadpole changes to bone in a frog’s body. Teeth, exoskeletons and horns are also touched upon, as well as bones’ makeup and the formation of fossils. The text concludes with two brief paragraphs about tendons, ligaments and joints, as well as some things you can do to keep bones healthy.

A fascinating introduction to bones.