Encyclopedia of the Human Body

Rating:
Summary: I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC
Review: I'm constantly amazed by the consistently excellent educational book front-list from British publisher Dorling Kindersley. No other mass-market publisher comes close to producing non-fiction books of such quality, scope, sophistication, visual excitement and sheer readability. When DK Publishing tackles a subject, it's done right, typically by a hand-picked team of editorial professionals and topic experts, as is the case with their latest desk reference book, "DK Encyclopedia of the Human Body." Here a team of medical experts provided the massive data contained in the tome's 300-plus pages. Then a team of authors and editors groomed the text into DK's characteristic style by outlining subject heads and breaking down information into easily-digested sub-sections, each with a corresponding image. There are more than 900 full-color photographs, illustrations, charts and diagrams here, all mesmerizingly revealing the workings of the human body in painstaking detail. Instead of listing subjects alphabetically in the standard style of most encyclopedias, here it is organized into related subject groupings, working parts, moving framework, control and sensation, supply and maintenance, and so on, and designed in concert with DK's uniquely eye-popping visuals. Timelines, charts and illustrated histories help put subjects into perspective and tidbits on leeches, motion sickness, head lice, and toilets will get the attention of even the most reluctant readers. Page after page, the detailed subject is presented clearly and concisely in such a riveting way that young students ages eight and up will not only find and comprehend the information they're seeking, but will become so absorbed that they'll surprisingly discover themselves reading for the sheer fun of it. For high school students, the encyclopedia is a particularly distinct and pleasurable alternative to dull textbooks, making this a must-have for every student's complete home library.