How many of us hated biology lessons at school? Trying to understand how our bodies work with all those bones, blood, veins, organs and the brain of the operation, err… the brain. Trying to work it all out can feel like decoding a secret language without the use of an Enigma machine. But for young readers it has become a lot simpler and much more fun with a playful, hands-on approach that turns biology from “just another school subject” into a madcap adventure. Packed with humour, surprising facts, and vivid artwork, the right book can spark curiosity about everything inside us – everything from our beating hearts to our, um, bathroom habits. Welcome to Kay’s Anatomy by Adam Kay. A hilariously gross guide to growing bodies, making human biology fun for kids.
Adam Kay is a BAFTA-winning, multi-million-bestselling author, TV writer and performer. How does that qualify him to write books about the human body? Well, he is more than qualified as he is also a former junior doctor, and he knows exactly how to make anatomy both accurate and utterly entertaining, as you will find out in Kay’s Anatomy.
This former doctor-turned-comic unpacks the “weird” you and hands readers a backstage pass to the human body – warts, woes, and all. From acne and arteries to viruses and vomit, each chapter delves into organs, systems and bodily quirks you never knew you wanted to learn about.
Education, learning, biology … before you switch off, Kay’s Anatomy is not a dry textbook, this guide is a “complete (and completely disgusting)” manual exploring the dark depths of the human body; informative, educational and completely hilarious. Through this books 400+ pages young page turners will discover why their poo is brown, how their brain processes 400 billion bits of information per second (and how long it’d take you to count them all), and whether those nose nuggets are snack-worthy. And as disgusting as the human body is, Kay never lets the gross-out factor overshadow the science, this book is carefully balanced, combining cheeky jokes with clear, child-friendly explanations that stick. For those worried parents that may be thinking about the educational value of just looking at the gross fun stuff, it also looks at more serious topics such as the dangers and effects that smoking, drug use and alcohol have on the body as well as healthy eating, getting enough sleep and exercise, all in a child-appealing way.
And it is not just the text that is fun, the illustrations and cartoons by Henry Paker. Each page is littered with images that please the eye and make you laugh – think dancing pathogens, organs with googly eyes, and even a twerking kangaroo in a bow tie teaching fractions. These visuals not only provoke giggles but reinforce key concepts: a cutaway view of the spine, labelled diagrams of the heart, and step-by-step breakdowns of digestion all weave learning into every page turn.
Overall, I love this book. Children (and adults) should always try to expand their knowledge and learn new things, and if done in a fun way, they are more likely to take the information in. Adam Kay has written a wonderfully humorous book that not only educates and excites but is fun to read. A fascinating look at the human body and its functions, even the disgusting ones. It is very well written and in a way that kids won’t kind condescending, using child friendly terminology as a way of getting the information across (and helps kids retain it).
It is packed with laugh-out-loud gross-ology, hard science, and no-nonsense advice on health habits, it’s guaranteed to make kids put down their screens – if only for them to find out what happens next in their own bodies.
Kay’s Anatomy is an entertaining, enjoyable and extremely funny, but very informative book, that examines the human body. Every school age child should read it – it covers Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 human biology syllabus (in a slightly repulsive way)! Perfect for home libraries and school classrooms, it’s an excellent way to gain a little knowledge and a lot of laughs. This is one anatomy tour you, and your young readers, won’t forget in a hurry.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £14.99 (Hardback) / £8.99 (Paperback) / £7.99 (Kindle)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
