Kids’ Summer Book Club

“Body Science: The Head-to-Toe Guide to the Science in You,” by James Cracknell, for ages 7 and up, $19.99

There are a lot of amazing machines in the world, but none compares with the human body. With wonderful graphics and photographs, this book explores the complex and incredible things going on inside you every day.

But it’s also got numerous easy-to-understand explanations of concepts such as energy and Newton’s laws that will help you understand how your body responds to the world.

Everything in “Body Science” is presented in a fun way that is perfect for kids.

For example, here’s a fact you can throw at your parents the next time they try to serve Brussels sprouts for dinner: Human taste buds are more sensitive in young children, which is why some kids react badly to flavors that many adults like.

Now you can tell your mother that you might like them someday, but right now your taste buds aren’t mature enough.

Here’s something else you probably didn’t learn in science class: You share 98.5 percent of your genetic makeup with a chimpanzee and 50 percent with a banana.

There are facts galore, and plenty of cool and gross photographs that will make you think a little differently about your body.

The Washington Post