| ________________ CM . . . .
Volume VIII Number 1 . . . . September 7, 2001
excerpt: Michael Lotito of France eats for a living. Not a bad job, except for the menu: bicycles, TVs, computers, supermarket carts, chandeliers, a wooden coffin (empty) and an entire Cessna light airplane. He's not called Monsieur Mangetout (Mr. Eat Everything) for nothing.  Part of the
"Mysterious You" series, which examines the way in which the human body
functions, these titles are sure to be a big hit. Brightly coloured and
amusing covers attract readers' attention, and the winning combination
of well-researched information, fascinating facts and fun activities sustains
readers' interest. Written in kids' language and injected with a liberal
dose of humour, the text zips along. The layout of the books is similar:
the main concept is presented on a double-page spread with a portion on
the right-hand side devoted to interesting anecdotes or a section entitled
"You Try It!"- fun, simple experiments, requiring few or no props, that
readers can do on their own or try on their families and friends. A variety
of pastel backgrounds add life to the text which is enhanced with vibrant,
amusing cartoon-like drawings. These illustrations are well-suited to
the writing style of the text.
Burp! includes information on eating (calorie consumption and burning, the importance of a balanced diet, vitamins and nutrients, food cravings, and how the sense of smell affects eating), digestion (lots of gross stuff that kids will love!), eating disorders, and space-age food for the future.
Bound to be popular with kids, these titles represent an auspicious beginning to what promises to be an excellent, exciting series. (The next title on genes and cloning was released in September 2001.) Highly Recommended. Gail Hamilton is a teacher-librarian at Bird's Hill School in East St. Paul, MB.
To comment on this
title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal
use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other
reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by NEXT REVIEW | TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOR THIS ISSUE - September, 2001.
AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME |
Hmm? discusses the parts of
the brain and their functions, how memory works, the difference between
procedural and declarative memory, short-term versus long-term memory
and how to sharpen one's memory through the use of techniques such as
visualization and mnemonics. One of the main concepts presented is how
both personal and collective memories shape people's lives and help
to define the world in which they live.