The Digestive System

Digestive System is a 32-page nonfiction reader that explores the inner workings of the human digestive process for students in Grades 3–5. Through accessible language, vivid diagrams, and real-world examples, this book helps readers understand how the body turns food into fuel. It introduces the key organs of the digestive system, explains each step in the process, and emphasizes the importance of nutrition and healthy choices. Designed for both classroom and independent reading, this book supports science standards and encourages curiosity about how the body works.

• Explains the structure and function of the digestive system in age-appropriate terms.
• Features engaging photos, labeled diagrams, and key vocabulary for science instruction.
• Supports classroom discussions and science curriculum on body systems and health.
• Encourages students to make connections between biology and daily life.
• Ideal for Grades 3–5 in science centers, guided reading, or independent learning.

Jennifer Prior has written over 100 educational books for teachers and children, covering literacy, language arts, social studies, and early childhood education. Her instructional resources include Focused Reading Intervention, Targeted Reading Intervention, Exploring Nonfiction, Exploring Writing, and Write Time for Kids®, as well as her textbooks Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education: Research into Practice and Environmental Print in the Classroom: Meaningful Connections for Learning to Read.
For students, she has authored children’s informational books such as America’s Natural Landmarks, Rocky Mountain States, and Polar Regions Through Time, along with science and social studies titles in partnership with TIME for Kids® and recent works like Our Grand Canyon.
Jennifer’s books combine classroom-tested strategies with engaging, real-world connections. She is a former classroom teacher and has been a professor of education at Northern Arizona University for over 20 years.
Outside of writing, Jennifer enjoys creative, hands-on pursuits. She sings, cooks, crafts artisanal soaps, and makes pine needle baskets, which can be seen at the annual Flagstaff Open Studios art show. She lives in Flagstaff, AZ, with her husband, their dog Monica, and cats Mary and Chad.