(2) K-3 Illustrated by Scott Campbell. A girl with puffball pigtails contentedly chomps on an apple amid a quirky crowd. The next spread repeats the tableau--but with all the faces (except the girl's) shown as skulls. With snappy writing Thornburgh describes a skull's importance (it's "a car seat for your brain") and its functions, while Campbell packs plenty of humor into his muted watercolors. "Cool Skull Facts" are appended.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(2) K-3 Encounter series. Illustrated by Harriet Popham. Karl, an Abyssinian ground hornbill, arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo with a damaged lower bill, which limited his ability to eat a balanced diet and participate in normal activities. Nargi's lighthearted and informative account shows how zoo staff engineered Karl a 3-D printed beak, each step in the process demonstrating how engineering and science can solve problems in animal conservation. Creative illustrations combine blueprint-like schematics with photos; a downloadable companion app is available. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) PS Clues written in the first person coupled with illustrations of each animal's tail end encourage readers to guess which animal's head will appear on the following page. Among the mostly predictable answers, a couple of twists are included. Canty's delicate watercolor and mixed-media illustrations are in muted tones and are "adapted from nineteenth-century artwork."

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jia Liu. In this playful guessing-game book about animal tongues, each recto of the digital illustrations shows a cartoony monkey with a tongue like the animal on the next page: "If you had a tongue like a whip, you might be an... / anteater!" Brief text then describes how that tongue is used. Final pages focus on human tongues. Readers will enjoy looking at tongues--including their own--in a new way.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) YA Sex educator Green expands on her popular YouTube videos with this hefty guide to modern sexuality and relationships. With a slangy but knowledgeable tone, Green expounds on the expected subjects (anatomy, birth control) as well as relevant issues such as gender identity, communication, and consent. Her deft, gentle treatment of delicate topics and commitment to sex-positivity makes this informational book stand out among similar titles for older teens. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) K-3 World of Weird Animals series. Illustrated by David DeGrand. This offbeat survey explores several "cute" creatures--from fairy penguins to pom-pom crabs to pangolins--whose endearing features actually help ensure their survival. A spread about each animal features a concise introduction to that creature, a close-up photograph and cartoon illustration, and a sidebar of additional facts. Discussion of "The Science of Cute" and reading comprehension questions conclude this intriguing examination. Glos.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) K-3 Illustrated by T. S. Spookytooth. In this amusing and informative science picture book, children visiting a natural history museum compare human and dinosaur skeletons: the similarities, then the unique structures that identify species such as stegosaurus (back plates) and diplodocus (many vertebrae). The children--humorously illustrated with dino features--imagine what it would be like to fly, stomp, and chomp like a dinosaur. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Hannah Tolson. Eyes can be big or small, bulging or hiding, but they are all designed to work for their owners--whether they help an animal see far away, in two directions at once, or in the dark. In the voice of each animal (goat: "I've got OBLONG eyes"), the text is simple but introduces some interesting vocabulary; the bold, clear illustrations give close-ups of the different eyes.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Head to Tail series. Illustrated by Kwanchai Moriya. As usual with this picture book series, a guessing-game format ("What bird has a head like this?") will engage young kids as they learn facts about eight birds and their different body parts. Illustrated with eye-catching collage depictions of each bird, the kid-appealing text presents information simply and without condescension. "Other Awesome Birds" are mentioned at book's end.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 In profiles of two dozen species, Rosen emphasizes the importance of adaptation in terms of evolution and species survival. Clear prose explains the behaviors of each animal and the functions of its more unusual characteristics, including elaborate ears, noses, and jaws; sidebars provide additional facts and explanations. Multiple photographs of each species emphasize their features. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Perry Taylor. Readers get an inside look at each step of the development of Violet the hen's chicks, including a day-by-day guide to anatomical formation. After the eggs hatch, human kids learn how to care for chicks. Detailed line and wash illustrations add clarity on every spread. Aside from some playful anthropomorphism in the text, this is a solid scientific introduction to raising chicks in a classroom or at home. Glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Readers are invited to guess each baby animal based on a simple textual clue and a close-up from the rear. The following page shows a full-body shot of the baby animal, usually with a parent, and gives additional information. Despite the cutesy interjections ("WOW!"; "PHEW!"), the text is informative and young readers should find the butt premise irresistible. Concludes with additional facts about each animal.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Raintree Perspectives: Brains, Body, Bones! series. Instead of dealing with human organ systems, these books focus on six features of the head and eight vital organs in the chest and abdomen, respectively. Straightforward texts, photos, and anatomical drawings combine with "Body Talk" sections giving quirky facts and "See for Yourself" boxes with suggestions for hands-on explorations (such as feeling your pulse). Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Raintree Perspectives: Brains, Body, Bones! titles: Understanding Our Head and Understanding Our Organs.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Raintree Perspectives: Brains, Body, Bones! series. Instead of dealing with human organ systems, these books focus on six features of the head and eight vital organs in the chest and abdomen, respectively. Straightforward texts, photos, and anatomical drawings combine with "Body Talk" sections giving quirky facts and "See for Yourself" boxes with suggestions for hands-on explorations (such as feeling your pulse). Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Raintree Perspectives: Brains, Body, Bones! titles: Understanding Our Head and Understanding Our Organs.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body series. Illustrated by Venitia Dean. These books introduce basic anatomy and the functions and dysfunctions of human body systems through text (in tiny font), illustrations, and schematics. Each volume concludes with a chronology illustrating historical beliefs and scientific discoveries as well as a spread of random facts. Scattered stick figures interacting with the medical illustrations provide the series' gimmick but little else. Ind. Review covers these Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body titles: Stickmen's Guide to Your Beating Heart, Stickmen's Guide to Your Brilliant Brain, Stickmen's Guide to Your Gurgling Guts, and Stickmen's Guide to Your Mighty Muscles and Bones.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body series. Illustrated by Venitia Dean. These books introduce basic anatomy and the functions and dysfunctions of human body systems through text (in tiny font), illustrations, and schematics. Each volume concludes with a chronology illustrating historical beliefs and scientific discoveries as well as a spread of random facts. Scattered stick figures interacting with the medical illustrations provide the series' gimmick but little else. Ind. Review covers these Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body titles: Stickmen's Guide to Your Beating Heart, Stickmen's Guide to Your Brilliant Brain, Stickmen's Guide to Your Gurgling Guts, and Stickmen's Guide to Your Mighty Muscles and Bones.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body series. Illustrated by Venitia Dean. These books introduce basic anatomy and the functions and dysfunctions of human body systems through text (in tiny font), illustrations, and schematics. Each volume concludes with a chronology illustrating historical beliefs and scientific discoveries as well as a spread of random facts. Scattered stick figures interacting with the medical illustrations provide the series' gimmick but little else. Ind. Review covers these Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body titles: Stickmen's Guide to Your Beating Heart, Stickmen's Guide to Your Brilliant Brain, Stickmen's Guide to Your Gurgling Guts, and Stickmen's Guide to Your Mighty Muscles and Bones.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body series. Illustrated by Venitia Dean. These books introduce basic anatomy and the functions and dysfunctions of human body systems through text (in tiny font), illustrations, and schematics. Each volume concludes with a chronology illustrating historical beliefs and scientific discoveries as well as a spread of random facts. Scattered stick figures interacting with the medical illustrations provide the series' gimmick but little else. Ind. Review covers these Stickmen's Guides to Your Awesome Body titles: Stickmen's Guide to Your Beating Heart, Stickmen's Guide to Your Brilliant Brain, Stickmen's Guide to Your Gurgling Guts, and Stickmen's Guide to Your Mighty Muscles and Bones.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Hannah Tolson. The assorted functions of a random variety of animal feet are highlighted in the simple text of this book about animal adaptations. Each spread features a different type of animal feet--e.g., webbed, hoofed, sticky, padded--and explains their usefulness when running, kicking, clinging, climbing, digging, or swimming. The large-print font and winsome illustrations make this well suited for read-alouds.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. Rhyming text describes animals' coverings--rendered in large, bright illustrations--concluding with the only animal that wears clothes: "you!" Suggesting animals "wear" their coverings anthropomorphizes them, and some of the coloring seems confusing. Nevertheless, the catchy rhymes and bold close-ups will appeal to young readers. Includes five pages of additional information about the animals.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson