The Heart

Lup dup, lup dup, lup dup. Just what makes that mysterious noise in your chest day and night, night and day? And how does the heart actually work, anyway? If your grandfather just happens to be the man who created and edited the world's favorite textbook on the heart, you might get some pretty interesting answers to your “heartfelt” questions. This bright and colorful picturebook looks at the heart and circulation and is based on a real question-and-answer session between heart expert J. Willis Hurst and his 10-year-old grandson, Stuart. Inside the book, you'll find kid-tested answers to questions like: How does my heart pump? Where does blood come from? Why is the blood in the arteries red? Why is the blood in the veins dark blue? What are heart valves? What is plaque? What is a heart attack? Is heart disease contagious? My heart is strong. What can I do to keep it healthy? It's a fun exploration of a mysterious aspect of our bodies that will fascinate readers of every age, from 10 to 100.

The adventures of The OrganWise Guys continue! This time, Hardy Heart, Sir Rebrum the brain, and Windy the lungs, take center stage and attempt to teach children what doctors know about preventing cardiovascular disease and stroke. The Kidney Brothers think the topic is too difficult for children and put Hardy, Sir Rebrum and Windy to the challenge. Will they succeed? To quote Sir Rebrum, “Kids are a lot smarter than you think. We can break it down and explain it in a way they can understand. Remember my favorite saying is 'Knowledge is power!'”

Using compelling illustrations and simple language, children learn about how this disease affects the body and what they can do to help prevent it from happening to them. By avoiding smoking, making healthy food choices and getting plenty of physical activity, they can learn to take charge of their health!

The information in this book is pertinent for “kids” of all ages! The great news is that it is never too early or too late to begin making changes.

Learning about the body just got more exciting! Young children will discover how their bodies work when they read and sing along with fun and fact-filled songs. How many bones are in each of your feet? What are the five senses? Where is the gluteus maximus? Why do we pass gas? Find out in this engaging book and 12-song CD set with its diverse array of musical styles that promises to get the whole family rocking.

Part of the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out series, this is an excellent introduction to the heart and how it works. Clear, direct words, lively pictures, and simple diagrams tell how to make a stethoscope (“Any kind of cardboard tube will do”), take your pulse, and listen to the heartbeats of a friend, an adult, or a baby. There's a big diagram of the heart and explanations of how its valves open and close to keep the blood moving in the right direction through the veins and arteries. The book also includes simple instructions on how to measure heart rate, how to exercise the heart and keep it healthy, and a Web site to find out more. The open, informal design brings the physiology right into daily life. Factual, accurate, and fun. [Hazel Rochman, American Library Association.]

Using the same format as Simon's series on astronomy, this well-designed book introduces the human circulatory system: the heart, the blood, the arteries and veins, the transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide, the functions of various blood cells, and heart problems and their solutions. The text is succinct and direct, making the details understandable without losing the sense that the whole process of circulation is “strange and wonderful.” On most spreads, the text appears on the left in fairly large type, while the illustrations appear on the facing pages. These often striking pictures include many computer-enhanced photographs as well as diagrams and highly enlarged images made possible by electron microscopes. Handsome and well conceived in every way, this book provides an excellent introduction to its subject.

An informative, entertaining book for primary-grade children that uses humor, fun illustrations, and a simple story to explain how the heart functions, as well as how emotions and lifestyle choices affect the heart.

An animated and concise discussion of anatomy, blood pressure, heart disease, exchange of gases in the blood, and the history of heart science. One in the Slim Goodbody's Body Buddies series.