Open Me Up

November 2, 2009
Appropriately, the die-cut cover of this unflinching guide to the human body, in the vein of graphic reference guides Pick Me Up
and Do Not Open
, reveals human organs. Inside, each of the eightcomprehensive sections discusses a different aspect of the body, from “Being Human,” which depicts human evolution as a track race (“Best of luck Sapien!” reads a sign in the crowd), to “Malfunctions and Medicine,” about diseases and cures, and “Life Story,” exploring puberty and reproduction. The juxtaposition of photographs, humor (the autonomic nervous system is envisioned in comic book panels as a rescue team within a boy's body), historical narratives and a variety of artwork should generate hours of gratifying discovery. Ages 10–up.