The Brain: Our Nervous System - Hardcover

Simon, Seymour

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0688146406 ISBN 13: 9780688146405

Publisher: William Morrow & Co, 1997

Synopsis

The brain is the control center for everything from memories to movement, eyesight to emotions. This incredible computer processes messages from billions of microscopic cells called neurons, which link up to form nerves. Covering every inch of the body, nerves can carry messages from your fingertip to your brain and back at speeds of up to four hundred feet per second. With stunning full-color photographs and a fascinating text, award-winning author Seymour Simon continues his fantastic journey through the human body.

About this title

About the Author

Seymour Simon is the author of over one hundred science books for children. His many award-winning books include Icebergs and Glaciers, a New York Academy of Sciences Children's Book Award winner, as well as Storms, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Mountains, and many books about the solar system. Mr. Simon is the recipient of the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Nonfiction for the body of his work. He lives in Great Neck, New York.

Reviews

Grade 3-6. In this most recent effort, Simon brings his deft touch to an explanation of the brain and the nervous system. His clear, concise writing style is complemented by stunning color images taken with radiological scanners, such as CAT scans, MRIs, and SEMs (scanning electron microscopes.) Included in his explanation are descriptions of the anatomy and function of the parts of the brain, long and short term memory, neurons, dendrites, and more. The layout is familiar?a page of text facing a full-page photo. There is no glossary or index, but, as usual, the book is so well organized that they won't be missed.?Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

What does a neuron look like up close? Simon (The Heart, 1996, etc.) provides a computer-colored micrograph of neurons taken by an electron microscope magnified 20,000 times. He goes on to explain how billions and billions of neurons link up the body network nervous system connecting brain and nerves throughout the body, making thought, memory, movement, and other functions possible. The author includes information on new scientific equipment and techniques in a difficult text that requires careful, repeated reading, e.g., ``This positron computed tomography (PCT) photo uses radioactive tracers in blood sugar to show two different levels of visual stimulation in the brain.'' Full-color photographs, computer simulations, drawings, and three-dimensional models are used to grand effect to clarify, explain, and celebrate the remarkably complex system of brain and nerves; the large format, often with white type on black paper and full-page photos, is visually striking. Those who persevere (with no glossary or index to guide them) will appreciate this fascinating title, a case in which the picture-book format works perfectly to complement text with illustrations, but by no means indicates simplicity. (Picture book/nonfiction. 9-12) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Gr. 3^-6. The second book in the series that began with The Heart: Our Circulatory System (1996), this book features images of the human brain and nervous system accompanied by lucid text explaining their anatomy and functions. Pictures include computer-generated scans, a diagrammatic painting, and many photographs, some greatly enlarged and color enhanced. The vivid illustrations catch the eye, but the clearly written text provides a fuller understanding of what happens in various parts of the brain and nervous system. The relatively large print and generous use of white space make the text look easy, though the occasional use of white print on black pages is a bit harder to focus on. Simon's way of explaining what's happening in everyday terms enhances the book's readability. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a dramatic portrait of what Simon calls "the control center for everything you do." Carolyn Phelan

Edition details

• Publisher: William Morrow & Co
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0688146406
• ISBN 13: 9780688146405
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32