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Digestion! The Musical
The Magic School Inside the Human Body meets Hamilton in this hilarious picture book about the most basic process of the human digesting food!
Candy's made it. She's finally the human body! This intrepid sweet treat meets each of the human body's organs as she approaches her "big break": being successfully digested! Here is the scientific process of digestion as you've never seen it before—told through a musical, with Candy in the role of the small-town kid who wants to make it big, the baby carrots as the Greek chorus narrating all the action, and cameos from every body part that plays an important role in transforming food from ingredients to nutrition.
From beloved duo Adam Rex and Laura Park comes a genuinely educational, laugh-out-loud Broadway musical of a book about an epic adventure through the human body, from bite to bottom.
REAL SCIENCE PRESENTED IN A FUN The text has countless facts about the human body, teaches readers how the body works, and includes all kinds of "teachable moments."
A glossary in the back explains the function of all organs we encounter in the book.
ENCOURAGES The book is an invented fable and will make kids excited to write their own fables or musicals.
OUTRAGEOUSLY The over-the-top humor is perfect for fans of Goodnight Already!, The Day the Crayons Quit, and the Mother Bruce series.
POPULAR Acclaimed kids book creator Adam Rex is known for his funny and smart books. The winner of countless state list awards, Rex is the author of beloved books including, On Account of The Gum, Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, School's First Day of School, and many more.
Perfect
Fans of Adam Rex
Parents and grandparents
Teachers and librarians
Candy's made it. She's finally the human body! This intrepid sweet treat meets each of the human body's organs as she approaches her "big break": being successfully digested! Here is the scientific process of digestion as you've never seen it before—told through a musical, with Candy in the role of the small-town kid who wants to make it big, the baby carrots as the Greek chorus narrating all the action, and cameos from every body part that plays an important role in transforming food from ingredients to nutrition.
From beloved duo Adam Rex and Laura Park comes a genuinely educational, laugh-out-loud Broadway musical of a book about an epic adventure through the human body, from bite to bottom.
REAL SCIENCE PRESENTED IN A FUN The text has countless facts about the human body, teaches readers how the body works, and includes all kinds of "teachable moments."
A glossary in the back explains the function of all organs we encounter in the book.
ENCOURAGES The book is an invented fable and will make kids excited to write their own fables or musicals.
OUTRAGEOUSLY The over-the-top humor is perfect for fans of Goodnight Already!, The Day the Crayons Quit, and the Mother Bruce series.
POPULAR Acclaimed kids book creator Adam Rex is known for his funny and smart books. The winner of countless state list awards, Rex is the author of beloved books including, On Account of The Gum, Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, School's First Day of School, and many more.
Perfect
Fans of Adam Rex
Parents and grandparents
Teachers and librarians
76 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2022
2 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Adam Rex
94 books781 followersAdam Rex grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, the middle of three children. He was neither the smart one (older brother) or the cute one (younger sister), but he was the one who could draw. He took a lot of art classes as a kid, trying to learn to draw better, and started painting when he was 11. And later in life he was drawn down to Tucson in order to hone his skills, get a BFA from the University of Arizona, and meet his physicist wife Marie (who is both the smart and cute one).
Adam is nearsighted, bad at all sports, learning to play the theremin, and usually in need of a shave. He can carry a tune, if you don't mind the tune getting dropped and stepped on occasionally. He never remembers anyone's name until he's heard it at least three times. He likes animals, spacemen, Mexican food, Ethiopian food, monsters, puppets, comic books, 19th century art, skeletons, bugs, and robots.
Garlic and crosses are useless against Adam. Sunlight has been shown to be at least moderately effective. A silver bullet does the trick. Pretty much any bullet, really.
Adam is nearsighted, bad at all sports, learning to play the theremin, and usually in need of a shave. He can carry a tune, if you don't mind the tune getting dropped and stepped on occasionally. He never remembers anyone's name until he's heard it at least three times. He likes animals, spacemen, Mexican food, Ethiopian food, monsters, puppets, comic books, 19th century art, skeletons, bugs, and robots.
Garlic and crosses are useless against Adam. Sunlight has been shown to be at least moderately effective. A silver bullet does the trick. Pretty much any bullet, really.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
September 3, 2023
I'm sorry Goodreads, but I will not abide your average rating of 3.49 for this visionary masterpiece. HAS DAV PILKEY TAUGHT YOU 21st Century VICTORIAN PRUDES NOTHING? We have completely lost sight of the kind of books kids actually enjoy reading--chaotic, unhinged books that are funny, and completely absent of adult morals.
You've got to give children 90% fun books to make them love reading, and then occasionally sneak in the preachy ones, like slipping your dog's pills in a spoonful of peanut butter. Digestion! The Musical (A Revue to Follow What You Chew and Swallow!) is a giant heaping spoonful of peanut butter with rainbow sprinkles on top! It is so silly, and so strange, with such joyous potty humor, your kids will lose their minds! And if you're really one of those people that has to make reading an edifying experience, it is fairly educational as well.
There is a Greek chorus of singing baby carrots, the various blood cells perform a rap, and the book closes on a final musical number (and that number is a 2), where plungers and poop dance around a toilet bowl singing: EVERYBODY PANTS DOWN!. For Christ's sake, even the dedication is funny ("to my gastroenterologist, Dr. Bortuzzo")
My only explanation for all the teachers saying this book doesn't work, is that they simply can't pull of this ambitious read-aloud in front of their kids, and now they're blaming the author. But that's just not fair. When I butchered "My Heart Will Go On" in a 2002 School Talent show, did my classmates boo Celine Dion for my performance? NO! So don't give 1 star to Adam Rex, just because you don't have the read-aloud chops to perform this book!
You've got to give children 90% fun books to make them love reading, and then occasionally sneak in the preachy ones, like slipping your dog's pills in a spoonful of peanut butter. Digestion! The Musical (A Revue to Follow What You Chew and Swallow!) is a giant heaping spoonful of peanut butter with rainbow sprinkles on top! It is so silly, and so strange, with such joyous potty humor, your kids will lose their minds! And if you're really one of those people that has to make reading an edifying experience, it is fairly educational as well.
There is a Greek chorus of singing baby carrots, the various blood cells perform a rap, and the book closes on a final musical number (and that number is a 2), where plungers and poop dance around a toilet bowl singing: EVERYBODY PANTS DOWN!. For Christ's sake, even the dedication is funny ("to my gastroenterologist, Dr. Bortuzzo")
My only explanation for all the teachers saying this book doesn't work, is that they simply can't pull of this ambitious read-aloud in front of their kids, and now they're blaming the author. But that's just not fair. When I butchered "My Heart Will Go On" in a 2002 School Talent show, did my classmates boo Celine Dion for my performance? NO! So don't give 1 star to Adam Rex, just because you don't have the read-aloud chops to perform this book!
February 12, 2023
I would give this book 2 stars, but after seeing what a difference it has made for my 5 year-old daughter, I have to give it 4.5. She LOVES it. I find it hard to read and a bit confusing, and I definitely thought it was made for a higher age level, but there is something magical about it that is truly teaching her about digestion. She walks around singing parts of it and asking me the names of different body parts. The author obviously knows what he is doing. Overall, I find it to be pretty magical!
December 7, 2022
This is a really fun and educational read-aloud that my preschooler loves and that I genuinely enjoy reading to her—even if figuring out a good tune for some of the sections is a bit of a challenge! The pictures are great and she often stops me when I’m reading to take a closer look at them. Highly recommended.
November 26, 2022
Nope. No. Absolutely not. I really like Adam Rex's picture books, and I was hoping that this one would be amazing, but it's a miss for me. The illustrations are too chaotic, frenetic, and surrealist for my tastes, and I had a hard time reading the vertical page spreads as an ebook. I don't recommend this in a digital format, and the varying page orientations will require constant book-turning for a read-aloud.
The text has many repeated refrains that interrupt the flow of the informational content, and there isn't enough rhythm for this to be fully singable, unless someone is extremely devoted to practicing this in advance and creating an adequate tune for it. I am absolutely certain that some musical theater types could get into this book and offer an amazing performance of it, but the average parent, teacher, and librarian will find this overwhelming, confusing, and difficult to present.
The book is also rather lengthy, since it packs in lots of information about digestion with many weird interruptions, singing parts, and speech bubbles. This is too long and complex for most young children, and will probably be best enjoyed by STEM-minded school-age kids who can read this to themselves and giggle over it. In that case, no adult is required to perform the book, and kids can enjoy the weirdness.
Unfortunately, since my library has cataloged this as a picture book instead of putting it in the nonfiction section, it is doubtful that school-age children will even discover it. This is one of those gray-area books where it's hard to tell if it's more fiction or nonfiction, so I'm sure that cataloging will vary in different library systems. I will update my review if my library system moves it later!
Overall, this book did not appeal to me as either a reading experience or an educational resource. It is too frenetically weird and chaotic for my tastes, and I would never want to attempt to share this with a group. However, adults with backgrounds in musical theater may be able to both sing and read this excellently, and I hope that they will enjoy it and amaze everyone.
The text has many repeated refrains that interrupt the flow of the informational content, and there isn't enough rhythm for this to be fully singable, unless someone is extremely devoted to practicing this in advance and creating an adequate tune for it. I am absolutely certain that some musical theater types could get into this book and offer an amazing performance of it, but the average parent, teacher, and librarian will find this overwhelming, confusing, and difficult to present.
The book is also rather lengthy, since it packs in lots of information about digestion with many weird interruptions, singing parts, and speech bubbles. This is too long and complex for most young children, and will probably be best enjoyed by STEM-minded school-age kids who can read this to themselves and giggle over it. In that case, no adult is required to perform the book, and kids can enjoy the weirdness.
Unfortunately, since my library has cataloged this as a picture book instead of putting it in the nonfiction section, it is doubtful that school-age children will even discover it. This is one of those gray-area books where it's hard to tell if it's more fiction or nonfiction, so I'm sure that cataloging will vary in different library systems. I will update my review if my library system moves it later!
Overall, this book did not appeal to me as either a reading experience or an educational resource. It is too frenetically weird and chaotic for my tastes, and I would never want to attempt to share this with a group. However, adults with backgrounds in musical theater may be able to both sing and read this excellently, and I hope that they will enjoy it and amaze everyone.
February 12, 2023
I wasn't sold on this book when reading it for the first time to my 5 year old. But she kept reaching for it herself, reading parts, humming and asking me to read it with her. Now it grew on me as well, but if there wasn't for my daughter who LOVES it, I would never even decide to read it for the 2nd time.
January 26, 2023
Constant flipping of book from horizontal pages to vertical pages was awful. Message that one piece of candy is bad, but then okay because there was a peanut inside?
June 5, 2023
Hilarious and educational.
May 20, 2023
Very busy, bright pages, kept on wanting to sing a tune but I couldn't seem to find one to fit. A sweet is traveling through the bodies digestive system.
October 22, 2022
Parents might remember the fun and entertaining teacher, Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School House series of books. She made learning fun and this book takes learning about the process of digestion and turns it into a production. Even though this is a picture book, I feel like it is for a bit on the older end of picture book readers due to the material and length of the story. I feel like first through third graders would be able to grasp the message of the book.
Kids will be attracted to the “bright lights” and theatre feel right away. There is rhyming throughout as well as opportunities for singing and shouting. With baby carrots as the chorus and a piece of candy as the featured role, kids will learn the intricacies of how our food is digested.
The illustrations are vivid and show accurate depictions of our internal organs, using proper names and illustrations of the process of chewing and digesting a piece of candy. Of course, since there is candy coming down the pipeline, some of the organs are appalled and don’t want to accept this foreign object because it offers no benefits to the body. This offers an opportunity for a great conversation with your kids about the difference between food that feeds our bodies and food that is for once in while.
“The food that’s done digestin gets absorbed from the intestine.
Then it takes what we don’t need down the kidneys to be peed.”
Of course, when you are talking about digestion, you have to talk about going to the bathroom. There is a big “show stopper” at the end with a trip to the potty which will have kids giggling, for sure! The end of the book includes a glossary of terms used in the book including organs and parts of the body critical to digestion like plasma, esophagus, and duodenum.
Kids will be attracted to the “bright lights” and theatre feel right away. There is rhyming throughout as well as opportunities for singing and shouting. With baby carrots as the chorus and a piece of candy as the featured role, kids will learn the intricacies of how our food is digested.
The illustrations are vivid and show accurate depictions of our internal organs, using proper names and illustrations of the process of chewing and digesting a piece of candy. Of course, since there is candy coming down the pipeline, some of the organs are appalled and don’t want to accept this foreign object because it offers no benefits to the body. This offers an opportunity for a great conversation with your kids about the difference between food that feeds our bodies and food that is for once in while.
“The food that’s done digestin gets absorbed from the intestine.
Then it takes what we don’t need down the kidneys to be peed.”
Of course, when you are talking about digestion, you have to talk about going to the bathroom. There is a big “show stopper” at the end with a trip to the potty which will have kids giggling, for sure! The end of the book includes a glossary of terms used in the book including organs and parts of the body critical to digestion like plasma, esophagus, and duodenum.
October 25, 2023
There is a lot to learn about the body through this book with its catchy rhymes, illustrations of the digestive system, and inclusion of digestive vocabulary. There’s a lot of silliness, too, with its three acts, interjections, spotlights, talking candy, and singing carrots. The orientation of the text and illustrations on the pages flips several times from left to right- as one typically reads a book, to top to bottom, requiring the reader to rotate the book so the left side is up. A glossary at the end defines the digestive terms, and an appendix gives a brief update about the function of the appendix. If young readers are not too confused by the musical references and increasingly abstract illustrations, they will be entertained and educated.
October 4, 2023
4.5 I’m not sure why this doesn’t have a better overall rating. It was so fun. I sang it for my daughter and she loved it too.
BUT, I agree with the two criticisms I’ve seen a lot:
1. The constant flipping between horizontal and vertical layouts is agitating. And,
2. I know healthy eating is important, but I felt bad for the gumball. There was an underlying message about needing to be something and changing yourself if you’re not that thing. It was unintentional, surely, but I can see how the shaming was a little thick.
BUT, I agree with the two criticisms I’ve seen a lot:
1. The constant flipping between horizontal and vertical layouts is agitating. And,
2. I know healthy eating is important, but I felt bad for the gumball. There was an underlying message about needing to be something and changing yourself if you’re not that thing. It was unintentional, surely, but I can see how the shaming was a little thick.
June 16, 2023
Hmm...I wonder if this is better with audio or as one of those picture books made somewhat animated into a video. I want to know what the pitch for this book was. I'm not sure who I would give this book to. It's a musical (without actual music) about digestion, so it makes a process we do everyday silly. The Broadway part was just a step too far for me. I did like the contrast between the front end papers with the audience and the back end papers that had the behind the scenes look.
February 5, 2024
While I liked the education aspects of this book, presented in a fun way, I found the text to be stilted. It just didn't flow well. If I were reading this aloud to my children (who are too old to be the target audience), I would be tripping over my words. If this truly were a musical, I cannot even imagine the music, beat, etc. Perhaps there should be a QR code or link listed so kids could listen to the "songs". Definitely not what I'd been expecting.
February 1, 2026
This playful book turns the digestive system into a full‑on musical adventure, making science both funny and memorable. Rex’s humor keeps the journey entertaining from start to finish, and the illustrations add an extra layer of charm that helps bring each “act” of digestion to life.
It’s a great pick for readers who enjoy learning through laughter, and it offers a creative way to understand how the body works without ever feeling heavy or technical.
It’s a great pick for readers who enjoy learning through laughter, and it offers a creative way to understand how the body works without ever feeling heavy or technical.
December 24, 2022
I hate to be so critical of a book, (Sorry Adam Rex! I love your books normally!!!), but I did not care for this book. Wish I did, because I love the digestive system, but the hatred against candy put me off. I get that, but really, the persistent putting down in a mean way? Not a fan. Some of the illustrations are very off putting as well and the singing musical aspect didn't work for me.
February 20, 2023
A funny look at the digestive process. Kids will enjoy the final act the most! The rhymes could be sung or rapped, but this will be an entertaining readaloud. Younger readers may not get which organs are speaking on some spreads, and some humor might go over their heads, but overall it's a book that can be enjoyed by kids and the adults who read to them.
February 23, 2023
Yikes, what a chaotic mess. Like others said, I normally enjoy Adam Rex but this wasn't it. Not only was it a ton of information crammed into a picture book, the formatting switches back and forth from horizontal to vertical, which is just annoying. All of this is on top of the fact that they hint at moralizing food (candy bad-carrots good), so it's a no from me.
October 27, 2022
Very cute book but not sure how it well kids will understand the concepts or the musical references? Definitely would be lost on younger picture book audiences. It might be a "pictures book better suited for adults" book.
December 15, 2022
What a fun and engaging way to better understand how digestion works! This is one of those picture books that really benefits from an accompanying audio clip to hear how the text is supposed to sound. I found a short clip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zkXV...), but I'd like to hear more.
December 18, 2022
Great idea, but the execution falls flat. I was hoping that this would make my Mock Sibert cut, but it is too complicated to do as a readaloud, the blood part was quite long, and there was hardly any explanation of what the intestines are for besides a way for poop to get out.
January 9, 2023
I LOVED this book.
It was silly. It was rogue. It was educational. It was hilarious. A great simple book to learn about the body digests and how different organs and parts contribute but in a fun, goofy, somewhat chaotic way.
It was silly. It was rogue. It was educational. It was hilarious. A great simple book to learn about the body digests and how different organs and parts contribute but in a fun, goofy, somewhat chaotic way.
May 2, 2023
Clever concept but the execution may not work for elementary level readers. I appreciate the vividly colored illustrations and the informative text. The carrot singers are cute, and the surprise of the peanut is amusing.
July 19, 2023
I thought from the title there would be more information about sounds, but instead the other using a musical format to present information about the digestive system. The illustrations were good and the diagrams were good for teaching and identifying.
October 28, 2023
Hilarious and informative- all about your digestion and written in the form of a musical with different Acts. The illustrations provide hilarious and knowledgeable information to help kids learn about digestion.
March 18, 2024
This is a hysterical book that takes you inside the human body and teaches the process of digestion. It has tons of facts about how our bodies work. It’s both fun and educational! The illustrations are a bit chaotic, but the text is engaging and my kid loved reading it.
October 28, 2022
Too cute!
November 15, 2022
4 stars for this musical? look at digestion
November 29, 2022
What a funny & educational book about your body
December 1, 2022
Fun concept but if they wanted a musical it should have been an animation. I feel like it gets a little complicated for kids to follow. I do like the appendix bit at the end though.
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December 5, 2022Another Adam Rex classic!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews