Brain surgery for beginners and other major operations for minors

by Steve Parker

Brain Surgery for Beginners is a colorful, illustrated booklet for kids and looks at all aspects of the human body from the vantage point of this amazing control center known as the brain. "...the book is packed with information and has lots of kids appeal." - Booklist

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Childrens

60 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Steve Parker is a British science writer known for producing hundreds of children's and adult nonfiction books covering zoology, medicine, evolution, and natural history. Educated at the University of Wales, Bangor, where he earned first class honours in zoology, he later worked at the Natural History Museum and held editorial positions at Dorling Kindersley before becoming a freelance author during the late 1980s. Parker contributed early titles to the acclaimed Eyewitness series and later wrote award-winning books including Science Crazy, Fizzing Physics, The Human Body Book, and Kill or Cure. He has also edited major collaborative works on evolution and medicine, regularly visits schools and libraries, and serves as a Senior Scientific Fellow of the Zoological Society of London.

Reviews

[Vivian]

This is a great book to learn about the human body. It was a good refresher for some of the things I knew (foot bones), some of the things I forgot (eye parts) and things I didn't know (how the lungs oxygenate the blood.) It also makes me want to learn more about the body. I often wonder if I'd gone into medicine, where would my interests lie? This book covers them all with illustrations and short explanations, plus a little brain in the upper left corner of the left page has an X on the part of the brain which controls that part of the body. It's written in simple terms so children can understand it and makes it memorable for adults as well.

Many moons ago, when looking for a new career, my husband said, "Short of brain surgery, you can do anything!" I'm not ready for surgery yet, but I'm honing my skills!

[Matt]

The beginning of the book is about the brain, but then it delves into every other major body part (bones, muscles, etc.) and loosely ties them back into the brain.

[Lafcadio]

Adorable illustrations. Surprisingly informative.

[Gracee]

GREAT gross out book for those kids that like stuff like that - even for those that would *like* to ask..."where do boogers come from"... but are too polite to ask.

[Grace]

Brain Surgery for Beginners details the different parts of the brain and how they relate to the functions of our body, from feeling, thinking and sensing. Beginning with a history of our understanding of the human brain and how we used to cure headaches by putting holes in our heads (ouch!), to the first brain operation, the author writes scientific facts and delivers it with entertaining wit to keep readers interested.

Despite this book being text heavy, the author's tone is far from dry which is what I typically associate with anything science related. There are vibrant, detailed pictures throughout with descriptions that break down the different parts of the brain, as well as fun illustrations to accompany more facts. I appreciated the way the author organized the book by brain function for instance, "Main Brain" talks about what the brain looks like and how it acts as the control center, or the "Hungry Brain" which explains how the brain relates to the digestive system and gets its energy.

I gave the book 4 stars for being packed with great information and illustrated with a mix of fun and factual drawings.