The Great Big Brain Book

April 1, 2020

K-Gr 3-Fans of Hoffman's writing and Asquith's illustrations will understand the undeniable importance of the brain. From the five senses to making memories, learning motor skills and balancing emotions, the human brain acts like the body's "command center." Along with providing vocabulary words in the glossary, the text gives enough description without being overwhelming, as when the author discusses dementia, why babies cry, and why people might be good at multitasking. The watercolor illustrations are fluid and colorful against the white pages showing simple scientific accuracy, but also use recognizable characters and designs. A variety of people are represented in the text and illustrations via culture, religion, race, physical ability, and, of course, mental capabilities. Although some of the headings and captions could be hard to read for younger readers, information about the complexity of the brain is explained thoughtfully. The clear drawings help expand comprehension. VERDICT An educational resource for young readers that uses an accessible narrative and light-hearted illustrations to explain the diverse functions and abilities of the human brain. Could also serve as a good conversation starter with children about difficult subjects like a grandparent dealing with Alzheimer's disease. Read-alikes include Hoffman's The Great Big Book of Families, Gabi Garcia's Listening to My Body, and Niels van Hove's My Strong Mind.-Hilary Tufo, Columbus Metropolitan Library-Reynoldsburg, OH

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2020
The creators of The Great Big Body Book (2016) pay tribute to the organ "in charge of every single thing our bodies can do." (Though look what's telling them that.) That's just the first of several simplistic or downright wrong claims in an otherwise perceptive and lighthearted overview that covers the brain's growth and general structure, its role in perception as well as cognition and communication, emotions, learning and memory (including amnesia and Alzheimer's), developmental differences, sleep, and dreams--all in nontechnical language. Along with throwing out tantalizing statements like the brain "changes again a lot during the teenage years" without elaboration and that dreaming may help in "getting rid of things we don't need," Hoffman misses opportunities to, for instance, mention more than the traditional five senses. She also muddles her own more accurate account of how the nervous system works with a line about how neurons "head back to your brain" with sensory messages, and, in what comes off as a weak attempt to reassure readers anxious about being replaced by robots, abruptly switches tracks to close with dismissive views about the current state of artificial intelligence. Asquith mixes a satisfyingly inclusive crowd of expressive human figures in active poses with bright cartoon diagrams and anatomical views...but she includes a long-debunked "map" of where taste buds are located on the tongue that doesn't include "umami" in the labeling. Bright and lively--but saddled with misses both near and wide. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 6-8)

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