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Human Body Topic (KS2)

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Best Children’s Books about Healthy Human Bodies

Learning to look after our bodies is an important part of growing up. As we can’t easily see inside our own bodies, high-quality children’s books about human bodies can play a key part in developing biological understanding in children.

In KS2 science, children learn about the human body, covered through topics about basic anatomy, teeth and bones, digestion, human organs and systems, healthy lifestyles and human growth.

From comprehensive guides to the human body like Kay’s Anatomy and Marvellous Body, to entertaining stories that dive into the topic of human health like Alice Dent and the Incredible Germs or stories about medical ethics like Pig Heart Boy, this list of children’s human body books equips teachers and families to help children aged 7-11 learn all about the science of human biology.

The subject of human bodies often fascinates children. Therefore, we’ve put together a selection of the best children’s books about human bodies, health and growth that will help you to really get to the bones of the topic.

NB: This human body topic booklist is designed to cover Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11). Additionally, for human body books for younger children, try our Human Bodies KS1 Topic Booklist.

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Children's books about the human body and anatomy

Jennifer Z Paxton
 & Katy Wiedemann
Non-fiction
Welcome to Anatomicum.This museum is open all hours. It will take you on an incredible journey right around the human body, from the intricate workings of the brain to the tiny muscles used to show emotion. Have you ever wondered how each life starts with just one cell, or how many blood cells there are in your body? Then this is the book for you.Anatomicum Junior is a reduced age range follow-on from the original Anatomicum. The text is carefully simplified to make it appealing to younger readers, while retaining the dynamic style and fascinating information of the original.
Adam Kay
 & Henry Paker
Non-fiction

An absolute hit with children in KS2! This funny non-fiction compendium of knowledge explores the intricacies of the human body through engaging cartoon-style illustrations that cover everything from major organs to microscopic DNA, including the less glamorous details.

Authored by doctor-turned-author Adam Kay, this comprehensive guide digs deep into bodily functions, genes, and germs but also dispels common myths and addresses frequently asked questions.

This recommended book reminds me of a biology version of Horrible Histories. In addition to the basics of anatomy, Adam Kay navigates wider biological topics, including common diseases and medical history as well as provides a thoughtful yet light-hearted section on puberty. Kay’s combination of humour and information hit the perfect spot for children in KS2 with a thirst for knowledge.

 

Kate Davies
 & Carnovsky
Non-fiction

We love interactive non-fiction books and this is one that children can spend hours poring over. Use the different coloured lenses provided to see the different layers of the human body and reveal how the body’s systems work together. Really fun but also hugely informative and well pitched for upper KS2, there is plenty to discover in this information text with a difference.

Jane Wilsher
 & Andres Lozano
Non-fiction
In this eye-catching book, readers can explore the hidden inner workings of the human body, look inside different organs and body systems and learn about how to look after their own physical and mental health at the same time. Readers use the see-through magic lens to reveal how our bodies function and the different body parts hard at work inside us. Find out how your senses work with your brain to show us the world around us, how doctors and nurses spot diseases and how we turn food into energy... and poo.So pick up the magic lens and take a tour of the marvellous human body!

Paul Mason
 & Dave Smith
Non-fiction

Hair-Raising Human Body Facts is a fascinating tour of the human body. As they read, children will learn a huge amount of intriguing facts about the body that they have inhabited since they were born. They will be desperate to share information – such as how your body sheds 50kg of skin by the time you are seventy and that the average human passes wind about twelve times a day!

Each colourful double-page spread focuses on one aspect of the body. The information is a mix of explanations, fact boxes, historical information and common myths about the body feature being discussed (Did you know that kissing a donkey was thought to be a cure for toothache in medieval Germany?).

Learners will enjoy the mixture of photographs, illustrations, speech bubbles and cartoons. The photographs also include images from a microscope, which are captivating.

Children's books about teeth and digestion

Katie Brosnan
Non-fiction
A journey into the wonderful world of your microbiome.Within our bodies hides an entire world of organisms called microbes. They digest our food and protect our immune systems, and without them, we would die. Through Katie Brosnan's personable illustrations, we follow the digestive process from the moment the food enters our mouths to the moment the waste leaves our bodies. Along the way we are introduced to a variety of microbes - good and bad - and gain an insight into the vast ecosystem that exists inside us.Scientists are only now beginning to comprehend the significance of our microbiome. This is a gorgeously presented introduction to a most fascinating scientific frontier.
Emily Bone
 & Stefano Tognetti
Non-fiction
From the very first bite, your food goes on an incredible journey inside you. Lift the flaps to find out what happens when you eat fat, sugar, carbohydrates and protein, and what vitamins and minerals do for you. With over 80 flaps to lift, advice on healthy eating and links to websites for more information.
Martha E. Rustad
Non-fiction
Say cheese! Good dental hygiene is an important way to stay healthy. With engaging text and colorful photos, readers learn good habits for heathy teeth. Care for Your Teeth includes a glossary, read more section, kid-friendly internet sites, and an index.
Paul Mason
Non-fiction
Packed with amazing facts and eye-grabbing images, Your Growling Guts and Dynamic Digestive System takes a different approach to teaching the reader about the digestive system.Every spread opens with an amazing science fact about the human body - for example - Your tongue print is just as unique as your fingerprint! - then goes on to explain how scientifically this is possible. By exploring these attention-grabbing sections, readers will build up their understanding of the different digestive organs and the process of digestion.Detailed diagrams and amazing images illustrate the lively, factual text. Your Growling Guts and Dynamic Digestive System looks at the organs of the digestive system and how they work together to get the most out of our meals! What does the liver do? What happens to all the food we eat? Why does the small intestine need to be so long? Answers to all these questions and many more can be found in this fascinating title.

Children's books about the body's systems and organs

Dr. Ranj Singh
 & David O'Connell
Non-fiction
Discover how to train your brain and become the best you can be in this empowering and inclusive guide by the nation's favourite doctor, Dr Ranj.If you want to learn how to make the most of YOUR brain, this is the book for you. It doesn't just explain how the brain works. It'll teach you how to train your brain to get better at stuff you find difficult. It'll show you how different people think in different ways and why that makes each person so special. It'll help you keep your mind happy and healthy. Because when that brilliant brain of yours is in tip-top condition, you can be the BEST version of you.
Dr Liam Drew
Non-fiction
A fun, fact-packed introduction to the brain and nervous system for young science enthusiasts.The brain - a wrinkly, spongy mass the size of a cauliflower that sits in our heads and controls everything we do! Discover what its made of, how it works and why we even need one in this fun, fact-packed introduction to the brain.Inside the pages of this STEM book for children aged 7-9, budding young scientists will discover:- An age-appropriate introduction to the brain, what it is, what it does, how it works, and how it evolved - All about how scientists study the brain and nervous system - Introduces concepts like how we think, what consciousness is, and how the brains of other animals are different - Encourages young readers to develop an interest in STEM fields - including biology, medicine, and science - Each page is filled with engaging photographs and artworks with easy to understand textFilled with colourful illustrations and bite-sized chunks of information, this book covers all your questions on everything from the anatomy of the brain and nervous system, to how information is collected and sent around the body. Also, explore questions about the brain that we don't know the answers to yet!
Sonya Newland
Non-fiction
The Reproductive System takes a vibrant look at where we all come from. With spread-filling diagrams, a colour-blocking approach, and simple text and captions, The Bright and Bold Human Body presents the incredible scale and complexity of the human body in small, digestible chunks. As well as this, surprising statistics and close-up photos allow children age 9+ to gain an insight into the wonders of our bright and bold bodies.
Sonya Newland
Non-fiction
An adult has 206 bones and more than 650 muscles in their body, and each one has an important role to play. This book explores how the skeleton and muscles have multiple jobs within our body, from protection and structure to movement and blood production. Mind-boggling facts (for instance, you will grow around seven skeletons in your lifetime!), and clear and straighforward diagrams help to explain the important functions of your skeleton and muscles, while unique photos enable the reader to see the human body in a whole new light.
Izzi Howell
Non-fiction
A visually playful body and animal book! Learn all about animal and human movements and muscles, the similarities and differences. From muscles, bones and exoskeletons to running, jumping swimming and flying, explore how humans and animals move and use their muscles.The Human Body, Animal Bodies series looks at the features and function of the human body in isolation and also in comparison to those of different animals, looking at similarities and differences. The end of each book will look at sorting the featured creatures into their animal groups, using the classification information learnt throughout.Perfect for readers aged 5 and up.

Children's books about DNA and microbiology

DK
Non-fiction
This book introduces children ages 7-9 to the amazing science of DNA, genetics, and what makes you you. It's inside every living plant and animal, from the tiniest seed to the person standing next to you, but how much do you know about DNA? This book gives children an in-depth look at DNA and its role in all living things--from why we have different-colored eyes to why we age. Discover what DNA is, what it does, and how it shapes our lives, including inheritance and why we look like our parents; forensic science and how DNA evidence helps catch criminals; and genetic engineering and if we could bring dinosaurs back to life. With fun illustrated DNA characters, clear diagrams, and astonishing photographs, children will love learning about themselves and this all-important molecule. The DNA Book is packed with colorful illustrations and mind-boggling facts, perfect for curious young minds. It's a great addition to any STEAM library and decodes how DNA underpins life on Earth.
Dr Emily Grossman
 & Maggie Li
Non-fiction Picturebook

Meet the Microbes is a captivating insight into the tiny creatures that live under our noses and have a massive impact on our lives despite only being visible through a powerful microscope. Through the colourful and lively pages, children will meet a succession of cartoon microbes and learn all about them. They will learn about where they can be found and how they multiply; how they survive in the most extreme of conditions; the jobs that they do and how they might be beneficial to our future.

By the end of the book, they will have reached an understanding that microbes can be both good and bad for our bodies and how we can avoid spreading the less desirable ones. They will be fascinated to find out that mould is formed from microbes and that some of their favourite foods such as yoghurt, fluffy bread and cheese would not exist without them. The language is accessible to younger readers and concepts are explained clearly.

This book would be an excellent accompaniment to science topics or just a great addition to the non-fiction, reading for pleasure offer in the school library.

Nicola Davies
 & Emily Sutton
Non-fiction
From the award-winning team behind Tiny and Lots comes a new book exploring another fascinating area of biology: growth.A beautifully illustrated introduction to the concept of DNA for younger readers. All living things grow – every plant and every animal, including human beings. Some things grow fast and others grow slowly; some things grow by tiny degrees, while others grow to be enormous. Yet there's something about the way we grow that links us all together. Ever since you were the size of a dot, your body has been following a set of instructions: a code, which connects you with every creature on the planet... With words from Nicola Davies and exquisite artwork by Emily Sutton, this groundbreaking book is certain to enchant and inspire children.

Children's books about medicine, illness and hospitals

Malorie Blackman
Chapter book

This powerful novel from award-winning children’s author Malorie Blackman tells the story of a young boy called Cameron who suffers from heart disease. The novel deals with the contemporary issue of animal organ transplants and is a gripping read from the first page. Suitable for upper KS2.

Adam Kay
Non-fiction
The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people's heads off but there was one TINY LITTLE problem back then . . . doctors didn't have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked. It's time to find out why Ancient Egyptians thought the brain was just a useless load of old stuffing that might as well be chucked in the bin, why teachers forced their pupils to smoke cigarettes, why hairdressers would cut off their customers' legs, and why people used to get paid for farting. (Unfortunately that's no longer a thing - sorry.) You'll get answers to questions like: Why did patients gargle with wee? How did a doctor save people's lives using a washing machine, a can of beans and some old sausages? What was the great stink? (No, it's not what doctors call your bum.) If you're sure you're ready, then pop a peg on your nose (there was a lot of stinky pus back then), pull on your wellies (there was a lot of poo there too), wash your hands (because they certainly didn't) and explore this gross and gruesome history of the human body!
Stewart Foster
Chapter book

This gripping and moving story about coping with long term illness is popular with upper KS2. Joe is an eleven-year-old boy who lives his life stuck in a hospital room. Joe has a medical condition that means he is not allowed leave the hospital or encounter germs from the outside world. Can the characters Joe meets bring hope and warmth into his hospital bubble? An award-winning story that is great for developing empathy with different viewpoints and experiences.

Roald Dahl
 & Quentin Blake
Chapter book

A classroom favourite from the popular children’s author Roald Dahl. This is the laugh-out-loud tale of George Kranky, who plots revenge on his mean and miserable Grandma by concocting a magic medicine for her. Little does he realise that the medicine will have weird and wonderful effects on the old lady’s body…

Frank Cottrell Boyce
Chapter book
Entertaining and quirky, The Astounding Broccoli Boy tells the story of a boy called Rory who unexpectedly turns green. Stuck in a hospital isolation ward with the less-than-ideal companion of the school bully, who has also turned green, Rory must figure out what is happening to him and find a way to be a superhero no matter what he looks like on the outside. A very funny story that makes a good choice to read aloud in KS2.

Gwen Lowe
Chapter book
A brilliantly original, fast-paced and funny debut novel - perfect for fans of Roald Dahl! When Alice Dent gets a cold, she has no idea how much trouble it's about to cause. Because this is no ordinary cold: it comes with some seriously weird side-effects. For a start, Alice can't stop giggling and every animal she meets sticks to her like glue! But when the mysterious Best Minister for Everything Nicely Perfect and his scary masked henchmen come to take her away, Alice realizes her troubles are only just beginning ...

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