My kindergartener daughter loves learning about space. She is also interested in learning about the human body. When recently offered the chance to review To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space written by Dave Williams and Loredana Cunti and illustrated by Theo Krynauw in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add a book to my home library that combines space and the body. The 56-page book currently costs $12.95 on Amazon for the paperback version and $19.21 for the hardback.
Authors
Dr. Dave Williams made two flights on the Space Shuttle and performed three spacewalks on the International Space Station. He has also lived and worked in the only underwater ocean laboratory in the world to become the first dual astronaut and aquanaut in Canada.
Loredana Cunti is a writer and producer of children’s entertainment who lives in Toronto. She is a mother of two who develops ideas for food, family, and fiction.
Description
Do you know the number one question that kids ask about astronauts? The most frequent one asked is, “How do you go to the bathroom in space?” To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space answers that question and many others about the effects of zero gravity on the human body. Written for readers between the ages of 7 and 10, the book features age-appropriate language to explain the different phenomena that astronauts encounter while in space. The bright, colorful pages and short blocks of text accompanied by photos and humorous illustrations make this nonfiction book a very attractive choice for young readers interested in space and the human body.
Evaluation
When I first sat down with To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space, I intended to read only a page or two. However, I soon found myself at the end of the book, fascinated by how the lack of gravity in space affects the human body. Do you know how astronauts go to the bathroom in space? Or what happens when an astronaut burps or toots? How about how astronauts sleep without the gravity of earth? This fabulous nonfiction book explores all these questions and more.
My kindergartener daughter has been reading on her own for more than half a year now. She currently reads at a first or second grade level, so the text in To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space is easy enough for her to read by herself. The information is presented in blocks of text surrounded by photographs and silly illustrations that bring the science to life. The page additionally includes some recommended books for further reading. I find this book a great addition for homeschooling as well as a perfect read for any kid interested in space and the body.
Final Verdict
If your child is interested in space and the human body like my daughter, I highly recommend checking out To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space written by Dave Williams and Loredana Cunti and illustrated by Theo Krynauw. Written by an actual astronaut, the nonfiction book answers common questions that kids have about what happens to the body in space without the gravity of earth. The text is perfect for readers between the ages of 7 and 10. The full-color pictures and illustrations bring the text to life. I will be including this fabulous book as a resource in future homeschool lessons about space and the body.
Purchase To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space’ Book Review © 2016 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space’ © 2016 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space’ 1 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space’ 2 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space’ 3 © 2016 Heather Johnson
