A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut

by Masha D'yans

“A Garden in Your Belly's colorful world helped me wake up…This book is as powerful as it is beautiful!” ―Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Your belly is full of tiny creatures―and they love to eat! Along the river of your gut, tiny creatures move, eat, and grow. Learn more about the garden of microscopic flora growing inside the body and come on a journey that explains an important biological the microbiome, the health of which affects everything in our bodies. Did you know that some foods are better for your microbiome (and you!) than others? Striking, original watercolor illustrations keep things from getting too gross. Informational back matter goes further into the science of the microbiome and reveals amazing facts about the gut.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Childrens, Health, Food, Bodies

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this beautiful picture book. My kids have grown up hearing about their friendly bacteria and microbiome (yes, I'm that kind of mother 😉), but I've never seen a picture book talking about the topic before. This one uses vivid watercolor illustrations and adorable creatures to teach kids about their microbes and all the ways they matter. I appreciate that it doesn't smash a bunch of boring, technical stuff into a book for kids but still gives a lot of information. It also covers a lot of things scientists have only recently learned, such as the way our microbes influence our emotions, the way good and bad bacteria can influence food cravings, and how they need a variety of healthy foods to keep them healthy (no, you don't need to just pop probiotic pills). The whole thing is done in a really whimsical, celebratory way that highlights the science and how remarkable it all really is.

I hoped that there would be a little bit of information at the end (where there is more detailed info) about things that we now know can harm our beneficial bacteria like the overuse of antibiotics, antibacterial products, and even glyphosate (RoundUp, which has antibacterial properties and is found throughout our food supply these days). That said, this is a fun, educational and gorgeous book that will teach kids and their grown ups lots about why our microbiome is so important and the healthy ways to keep it happy. This is one that I may purchase for our home library and will definitely recommend.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an informative picture book on the microbes that thrive and function in our body!

The illustration is so amazing! The colour hues remind me of beautiful dreams and fairy tales! So well done I would say!

This picture book aims to educate kids (and the adults reading this!) about the microbiome and how they are important.

The book is interactive, short and fun. And so colourful that it wakes up your senses. So apt for anyone reading it.

The fun facts towards the end are really informative and fun to go through.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was absolutely loving this book until the pages on "junk food and sweets". Portraying ice cream and hot dogs as evil do no good and scaring kids into not eating them is not healthy. Instead, if the message was to eat a variety of food I would have loved this book but as it is, I can't in good conscience recommend it.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a mix feelings on this book. I like the way it explain the «microbiology» of the human body, with all the organism in the intestine and all that. It was explain in a good way and easy enough for children to understand it and the illustrations, even if a bit fantastical, were good to make the book and subject attractive. My concern and question is : «Was it necessary?». This book is clearly intent for very young kids and I'm just not sure how relevant this is for children so young. I'm saying that in a general matter, if your kid want to learn about it, this is fine, go ahead and maybe this will grow on him and became a passion or a field of expertise or whatever, but not sure this book will reach a very large public. Nonetheless well done if you're interested!

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically-illustrated science story with elements of both the factual (the microscopic life that lives in the human body) along with the surreal (the microbes are depicted as cute, colorful, bizarre-looking critters).

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fantastic book perfect for teaching health and the gut/brain connection. Simple enough for the youngest readers to understand however the back few pages have more detailed information for older readers.

Our family is very health conscious around natural remedies and we have had personal experiences with candida overgrowth and overcoming it and it's negative effects. While this book doesn't specifically name candida, it provided a launching point to discuss how our gut health affects our brain, moods and overall health. Also, great discussion starter on how isolating yourself indoors and away from people, masking and over sanitizing leads to worse health problems including weakening your microbiome.

I haven't been able to find many new children's books at the library worthy of our time lately. This one made the cut!

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


I just love reading about microbes, read a fun one in Dutch during my vacation, and so when I saw this adorable book telling kids about what they have in their stomachs, I just knew I had to request it.

This cute book tells kids in easy language and fun and bright illustrations what is in your stomach. From the river that is your intestines to how you can get microbes. Aka by playing, touching. Like by touching a book, or by playing with a dog. It talks how each garden is unique to each person. We see what the microbes do, of course in very simplified language. And what you can do to help your microbes to make sure they stay happy and healthy, as that is important. Because otherwise bad things will come in your stomach that will make you sick. I definitely loved how everything was explained and how clear it was.

I was also happy that they added some addition information at the end. And also a glossary explaining some of the tougher words.

I had such a laugh when all that food floated by. From broccoli to pizza.

The illustrations are bright, colourful and just a delight. They really help carry the story and the explanation and I am sure that kids will love them.

All in all, I would recommend this one to everyone.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Aolund · Rating 2 out of 5]

This non-fiction picture book about microorganisms growing in our microbiome/gut is disappointing! The pictures are gorgeous and entrancing, and the factual information is interesting and well-portrayed, but it takes a sharp turn when it starts talking about how sweets and junk food are "pollution" for your microbiome. It would have been so much more food- and body-positive (as well as accurate) to stress how we need to eat a *diversity* of foods, rather than just piling negativity onto certain foods. The microbiome would not be well nourished if someone ate only carrots and lettuce, either! I would definitely avoid reading this book (or at least the ending when it takes this food-shaming turn) to prevent giving kids a complex about foods.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! First of all, can we talk about the illustrations? Reminiscent of Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" with a slightly more watercolour feel, they are eye-catching, bright, bold, detailed and just gorgeous. They really bring the text to life, making the book easy to understand for younger ones, and informative for older ones.

The actual text of the book was fascinating. I recently read "Gut" by Giulia Enders and this was like a scaled down, children's version of that. So informative (I even learned a few things) without being too difficult or complicated. It brought the world of your inner flora to life in a fun way! This is an absolute must read for everyone as it is so important to look after the garden in your tummy!

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so pretty, with lots of colors! The perfect blend of information and fun, this kept my wiggly 4 year old’s attention and he’s very interested in his “garden”

[Patricia Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cool! Love the watercolor microbes!

[ThreeSonorans Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

"After all, every garden needs love and attention."

This is a great book that explains the microbiome to kids!

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited about this one, but I ended up not really loving it. It doesn't go into as much detail on the science or on the types of microbes as my five-year-old wanted, and I was pretty unhappy about the choice to talk about "junk food" as feeding the wrong kinds of microbes. It didn't even really define what "junk food" is in this case. I'd have preferred the author just stick with the lines about eating a variety of foods being healthier for your gut.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Clever way to introduce younger readers to the microbiome inside human bodies. D'yans shares the river running through our digestive systems and introduces the wide variety of protectors inside our bodies. They also address the "bad guys" who attack the biome. Great way to emphasize how important diet is for growing bodies.
Soft colored illustrations bring the microbes to life and emphasize the wide variety involved.
Informative text at the end of the book offers further research.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut, written and illustrated by Masha D'yans, is currently scheduled for release on October 6 2020. Your belly is full of tiny creatures—and they love to eat! Along the river of your gut, tiny creatures move, eat, and grow. Learn more about the garden of microscopic flora growing inside the body and come on a journey that explains an important biological concept: the microbiome, the health of which affects everything in our bodies. Did you know that some foods are better for your microbiome (and you!) than others? Striking, original watercolor illustrations keep things from getting too gross. Informational back matter goes further into the science of the microbiome and reveals amazing facts about the gut.

A Garden in Your Belly is a colorfully illustrated book that helps explain to young readers how important the microbiome that lives inside of all of is. The important information is written in a way that is accessible and nonthreatening, because learning that a bunch of little things live inside you could be scary to some readers. I think the artwork helps keep the tone light and fun, and still shows the danger of not taking care of our gut health without being over the top. The message is very well conveyed, and I think it is well done. I really enjoyed the more in depth information at the end of the book, interesting facts, and the glossary included in the end pages. I think this book would be a good addition to school, library, and classroom shelves. It would also be a good tool in households where someone might have digestive health problems, that make this information even more important and relevant.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and very successful way of teaching kids about the gut or intestines, what they do, and what is good and bad for it. It introduces microbes as things that live inside you, good and bad, that need certain things to flourish. The illustrations are a great watercolor that help get the points across, but also swallow the reader in a visual color medium that is perfect for long swimming reads.

[Kim Tyo-Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is a wonderful entry point into the work of our microbiomes for both young and older readers, as we all need to learn how to think thoughtfully and, ultimately, optimistically about our gut flora, or "the garden" in all our bellies.

Here, intestines are rivers and colorful microscopic "seeds" are transplanted into babie's bodies from their caregivers and every single thing they touch, "your dog, from your best friend, from the ground underfoot, from food, and even from this book!" These "sprouts" in the microbiome create a flower-filled garden teeming with sweet, happy, big-eyed microorganisms. Author illustrator D'yans appeals to the pride in a child's awareness of their individuality, asserting that a microbiome is a unique part of every child's body, and that microorganisms are as simple or as complex or "fancy," as they need to be in order to protect us from germs and illnesses. In brightly lit, double-page spreads, there are little multi-hued pink, violet, chartreuse, and orange microorganisms duelling each other, "taking out the garbage" and putting out "fires" along the flowering banks of the river. All this busy activity is not only physical, but can also effect our "emotions and thoughts." This is big stuff for everyone to think about!

After a gentle peek into flourishing gut gardens built with fresh produce, sunshine, and physical play, the illustrations takes a somber turn with a mottled gray, brown, and green river that is diseased with oil slicks of, well, likely oil and processed junk food. D'yans shows the darker side of poor food choices and lack of time spent in the sunshine playing. We see that some microorganisms, rather than protecting us and the river inside, can cause the river to become more and more polluted with unhelpful cravings and sluggish bodies, filling the garden in our bellies full of sick sprouts.

But fear not! Protectors can be regrown, helping us make better food choices and encouraging us to go outside and be more active:

"You can't talk to them directly. But when you're playing outside, breathing fresh air, and drinking lots of water, the microbes know and they're happy.

Doing these things is like sending care packages down the river to keep them strong.

After all, every garden needs attention and love."

This message, to practice self-care and self-love in maintaining our microbiomes, is a generative message of hope and healing that children and the grown-ups who care for them need to hear. This picture book can spark multiple conversations and lessons surrounding the growing microbiome focus in nutrition science where the connections between our microbiomes, our brains, and our hearts, as well as the major intersections between our mental and physical health, are being studied and better understood.

Children can continue their learning about the science behind a healthy microbiome in Gut Garden : A journey into the world of your microbiome by Katie Brosnan:

[Virginia McGee Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have never thought of a picture book about intestines and stomach contents, much less one that is clever and beautiful, get ready! I first heard of A Garden in Your Belly written and illustrated by Masha D’Yans with its book birthday tomorrow, at a Highlights virtual workshop on writing science and nature themes for children. I was intrigued at the concept and looked to see if Net Galley offered an advance reading copy. Not only did they offer one, they sent it to my phone so the beautiful illustrations were available! (Advance copies on my Kindle are fine for print, but lack a good illustration component.)

My first impression was shock that these gorgeous illustrations are to explain intestines! Masha uses the metaphor of a river running through a garden to present the belly microbiome filled with microorganisms. In clever text and quips in conversation bubbles, she describes the good and bad microorganisms in the human body and the ways they affect a person’s physical and mental health, and does it in a way that will entertain as well as inform the children who read it. For instance, she has the weeds liking such things as junk food and sweets and the good guys liking fruit, veggies, nuts, and yogurt.

In addition to the child who will enjoy and learn from the book, there is backmatter explaining the microbiome, a glossary, and some amazing facts that the adult who is reading aloud will enjoy and learn from. They certainly didn’t make science books this interesting when I was growing up. In a win-win, the child enjoys learning about his or her body, and the adult reader gets a basis for future conversations about why fruit snacks are preferable to Fritos.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say I really expected this to be an enjoyable success, but it certainly was. Introducing primary school children to the concept of friendly bacteria etc in our guts, there is no internal photography, and no evocation of splodgy half-digested gunk going through us. No, in almost hippy-like language, we have a river flowing through us, and the microorganisms we were born with and have ingested since are our special garden. The artwork is not as twee as that sounds however, for if you spend the time to examine it you find strangeness after strangeness – and that's long before the bad gut bacteria turn up and tell us to eat junk. It's really as if Bosch used play-doh to give us a biology lesson at times. The text is perfectly legible for the young – really it's one classroom session, and one two-hundred word essay, before the more teacherly notes at the end – and in conveying how cyclical things are – we eat crap, we get the message we should eat more crap, etc – it really does present us with all we should need to consider our internal workings and what we might be doing to this aspect of them. I haven't come across a book doing anything similar with this subject, and I have to say I don't think others need bother – this has nailed this particular market.

[Soumya Gudiyella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This festive season you will be overworking your microbiome. As a thank you, learn about your microbiome by reading the book, A Garden in Your Belly by Marsha D’Yans (@mashadyans)⠀
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Book blurb:⠀
Did you know there’s a garden in your belly? Your belly is full of tiny creatures - and they love to eat! Come on a journey through the river of your gut and visit the microbiome, a garden of microscopic creatures that affect your hunger, health, and emotions! Along the way, learn how to take care of your microbes and make a happier, healthier you.⠀
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This book teaches about the microbiome in our gut. The colorful alien-like illustrations of the microorganisms captured my heart. This book also teaches us to eat healthily and stay away from junk food. At the end of the book are amazing gut facts. Did you know that your microbiome is as unique as your fingerprints?⠀
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A must-read if your kid is interested in STEM-related books or you can start with this one. Thank you @netgalley and @lernerbooks for the eARC.⠀
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Category: children’s picture book ⠀
Age: Grade 2 - Grade 5

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much extremely important and helpful information in this book. The illustrations are so amazing, but I found it a little distracting from the message, because of the busyness. When, however, I hold the book further away from me and saw the 2 pages more as a whole, that helped.


The short "Amazing Gut Facts" at the end of the book contains key information, as well. Our gut microbiome's healthy condition is key to our health and our moods. There are,"more than 100 million brain cells in your gut". While the gut and brain communicate back and forth with each other, "90 percent" of the "information" is relayed "from the gut to the brain". The brain then "interprets gut signals as emotions."

Feeding our gut more fruits, veggies (fiber), water, air, and it increases the good bacteria, good viruses, and other good microbes which happily work to help us be healthy and have better moods.
The School Library Journal indicates that this book is geared for 2nd-5th graders.

This topic so fascinating. I am glad that this crucial information is more available, now.

[Joy (Books with Joy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeously illustrated book that explores the digestive system. This book introduces the concept of microorganisms to children with a magical and whimsical approach. The storytelling aspects are unique and I appreciate how this book highlights science and the importance of healthy foods.

I thoroughly enjoyed the colourful illustrations—I absolutely loved the watercolour style. The art is gorgeous and engaging.

Overall, this was a fun and informative read. This book serves as a great introduction to biological concepts to a younger audience and I would recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this manga in exchange for an honest review.

[Book Snuggery · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy to digest children’s book about the microbiome of your gut and intestinal health… it’s more fun than it sounds! Your gut biome has never looked cuter than here in “A Garden in Your Belly”.
An educational children’s book and while not all wee readers will grasp the information on the first pass, the facts are broken down into a more relatable and easy to explain level.
Comparing something to a child’s height or using the great distance to the Moon are things children do understand.
I know some adults are who could definitely benefit from reading this. Teaching children how to help and protect their biome is great and important, if even a few kids have healthier eating habits impresses upon them or are more excited to hydrate then this book has done its job!

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an e-ARC from NetGalley for an honest review**

Such a cute book! I've never seen a book that approached gut health for kids.
The colors were brilliant, and I like the darkening, sickly colors that appeared when the bad things moved in.
There was one illustration (right before the book tells you how to grow back the good things), in which the two children are sickly looking. I think the kids need to be moved a little further away from the tree, as at certain angles it makes it appear was if the little girl is dead and not sick. Or maybe change her hand positions.

Overall, a great book that would be a great addition to a kid's library (or even a doctor's office waiting room!)

[SL · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never seen a children's picture book take on the task of explaining what microbiomes are but A GARDEN IN YOUR BELLY did it in a really fun manner. I was impressed by how the author managed to condense all this scientific info in a way that was easily understandable for the reader (target audience being kids but I as an adult really appreciated it!). The illustrations were done in watercolor and it took me a little bit to adjust but it won me over ultimately. A GARDEN IN YOUR BELLY is a really cool, unique non-fiction picture book that explains in kid friendly language how microbiomes work in all organisms and I have to say, I finished reading this book learning a lot more than I ever knew about microbes.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book about your guts, specifically what lives in your guts. Using a garden to explain the microorganisms growing in the intestines works well; feed the plants good fertilizer, and you'll have a lovely, helpful garden growing in your belly; feed the garden bad fertilizer, and you'll get weeds that will make your garden sick. There's all kind of interesting tidbits of information in here, and the fabulously colorful, happy illustrations make you want to feed the microorganisms lots of healthy foods to make them happy and healthy. Definitely recommended!

#AGardeninYourBelly #NetGalley

[Katrina Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for the excellent way the author conveys a complicated subject with a metaphor kids can understand. The colorful, vibrant illustrations of somewhat anthropomorphized microorganisms add whimsy. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I am someone living with chronic illness, and though I eat all the "right/healthy" food, I am still sick. Of course it's better to eat whole foods, but sometimes that's not enough and it's too simplistic to say that eating "healthy" will mean you stay 100% well. Also, there are people who live in food deserts and cannot access fresh whole foods. It would have been nice to add something that addressed these facts.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a colorful way to learn about your intestines!

A GARDEN IN YOUR BELLY is an easy way for kids to learn about the microbes in their body that help keep them alive and well. But it's really the illustrations that make this book. The colors are bright and fun, showing tiny creatures in a swirling, colorful river.

The storyline didn't hook my daughter's attention very much but she was captivated by the illustrations.

Definitely a book I recommend for kids who are interested in learning about how the body works.

***I received a complimentary eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions within are entirely my own.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction picture book is an artful and scientifically accurate introduction to the microbiome, and I greatly enjoyed it. I am extremely impressed with how well the author presented this unusual topic for children, and she clearly explains the significance of microbes and how they affect our physical and emotional health. This is a great book for children and adults to enjoy, and the illustrations are fanciful, vibrant, beautiful, and memorable.

I received a temporary digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[what.ems.reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought that a book about microorganisms could be so pretty? With pages filled with information on the importance of our internal microbiome & how to keep ourselves healthy this book is packed with important educational content. I would probably recommend this for the older kiddos rather than the younger crowd but could see this as a great gift for a school nurse or health teacher a great book to keep on hand at any pediatricians office as well. My favorite part was definitely the art within these pages, just beautiful.