It Takes Guts

July 1, 2021
Readers who have wondered how their bodies turn food into fuel and feces need look no further. All the juicy details are in this book. Each section of the gastrointestinal system is covered in a different chapter, with a breezy explanatory narrative, diagrams, callout boxes with fun or unusual facts, and, at the end, a summary of the most important takeaways. This allows Gardy to explain in detail what takes place in each section of the GI system and even to throw in unexpected bits of history. For instance, the first (known) endoscopy was performed in the 19th century by a German physician with a tube that had many mirrors and a light; the key to its success was that the subject was a professional sword swallower who'd conquered his gag reflex. Kids will be fascinated by the description of how sword swallowing works (capped with the stern instruction not to try it themselves). Gardy also introduces readers to all sorts of scientific advancements, such as fecal transplants and modern efforts to use waste as a source of renewable energy. Even those readers well acquainted with the subject matter will find something new. Illustrations by Wuthrich add interest, supplementing the information with clear diagrams and often funny images that serve to increase readers' understanding of the text. The illustration of the Bristol stool chart, which includes a wombat admiring its cube-shaped poo, is a standout. A fascinating, sometimes funny read that goes well beyond the scatological. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 8-14)

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August 1, 2021
Grades 3-5 Whether or not readers agree with Gardy's claim that "what happens between your mouth and your butt is almost magical," they will still come away from this lively anatomical odyssey marveling at the complex interplay of digestive organs, enzymes, and microbes that not only break food down into component nutrients but also help guard against infection, identify and expel potentially poisonous substances, and even affect our moods and emotions. Along the way, the author introduces a whole new nervous system (the enteric); lots of chewy terminology, from peristalsis to retroperistaltic wave; and related topics such as allergies and the icky but promising new world of fecal microbiome transplants. Wuthrich's cartoon images of personified germs, organs, and people properly reflect the tongue-in-cheek tone. There is no list of resources for further inquiry, but each chapter closes with a fact summary, and the end matter includes both a glossary and an analytical index--with instructions for use! Prebiotics and probiotics get an uncritical, mildly approving once-over, which may be hard for skeptics to swallow, but, overall, a deliciously digestible disquisition.

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