Walker I Know Where My Food Goes Sam S Science

Each Sam's Science book explores an aspect of science through a conversation between young Sam and his mum. In this book, Sam and his mum delve into the soupy gloopy realm of digestion. Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Using enthusiastic language and fetching graphics, these first titles in a new science series successfully break down the complicated processes of the human body. In Food, a lunch of pizza and salad gets Sam's saliva going, offering knowledgeable and resourceful Mom a segue into a discussion of how the body processes food, from ingestion to elimination. McEwen's (Cows in the Kitchen) cartoony illustrations are full of attention-getting props: Sam's mother is shown inside a stomach, stirring up juices with a wooden spoon; when Mom explains that the small intestine is as long as a giraffe is tall, a giraffe materializes in the kitchen. In Germs, Sam and his mother are working in the garden as golden leaves begin to blow off trees; Sam's sneeze precipitates a conversation about the spread of germs. Among the images McEwen employs here are evil-looking green bacteria attempting to ram into a medieval fort constructed of scabs. The authors do not avoid exploring the most fascinating concerns of children, e.g., burping, pooping and picking scabs. In both titles, the art is fun and the facts are simple and sound?even if spinach gets a bum rap in each. Ages 5-7. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 2-These picture books introduce scientific concepts in story format. The texts are both informational and entertaining as a little boy named Sam converses with his mother about what happens to his food and then about his cold and the role germs play. Children should relate to the nontechnical way the mother explains things and especially to Sam's remarks, such as "Cool," "Yuck," "I know...But I like picking at scabs," and "We have burping contests at school." The bright and appealing cartoons are done in colored pencils and watercolors. The uncluttered diagrams should be helpful in explaining the concepts. Unfortunately, Food is written with British terminology, which may confuse young readers. For example, instead of setting the table, Sam is asked to "Lay the table" and dessert is referred to as "afters." Spellings are also different, such as "litres," "oesophagus," and "metres." The series could fill a need for nonfiction for younger children, but it should be consistent with American spellings and terminology. Susan Knell, Pittsburgh State University, Pittsburgh, KS Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.