'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Wednesday, 30 September 2020

Review: The Human Body Survival Guide


With a light-hearted approach to a complex subject, in The Human Body Survival Guide, George Ivanoff moves in another direction with this theme.

Showing how flexible and adept a writer he is, his narrative speaks directly to his audience in language that kids use, and with his usual unsuppressed childish humour.

Early in the book, the Glossary is mentioned as a go-to for difficult word definitions.

There are four sections, beginning with On the Outside; The Wrapping or skin, one of the four sub-sections.This is covered with issues connected to the dermis, and like every other section, is measured by a gross-o-metre.

Following are six sub-sections of On the Inside, Better Out Than In, and Everything Else. As you can tell by the headings, a lot of gross and disgusting images and descriptions are involved, but we learn how necessary and helpful they are to the hard-working processes of our body.

Detailed, speech bubbles and brief asides will entertain and keep kids laughing, as will a whole lot of Random Stuff and Fun Body Facts.

Riveting descriptions and images on the cardiovascular system, the complex stages of digestion, weird brain disorders, microorganisms, factual and bizarre stories, excerpts from newspapers and interesting and unusual case studies, blend together to form an ideal reference book.

Kids and anyone else, longing to learn the nitty-gritty of the human body’s workings, look no further! Well researched, with beautiful design and layout beginning from the stunning cover, each page is made unique with the use of fluorescent orange throughout.

Title: The Human Body Survival Guide
Author: George Ivanoff
Illustrator: Astrid Hicks
Publisher: Penguin, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 15 September 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760896744
For ages: 10+
Type: Non Fiction