Reviews for Pump It Up! : The Secrets of the Heart and Blood

Library Media Connection Reviews 2010 January/February
The mishmash of scientific detail, gross body slang, and animal details results in an interesting, but slightly scattered, presentation. Double-page spreads present each topic, and a colored sidebar adds high interest information. Animal details are differentiated by italics. The depth of scientific detail varies among volumes; as the science becomes more complex, the writing gets less clear. Photographs and illustrations support the text, but cross-sections and diagrams lack detail and frequently need more labels. Bibliography. Glossary. Websites. Index. Additional Selection. Carol S. Surges, Library Media Specialist, McKinley Elementary, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin ¬ 2010 Linworth Publishing, Inc.

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School Library Journal Reviews 2010 February

Gr 2-4--These informal titles detail various bodily functions in people and animals. Activities related to exploring the workings of the human body are embedded throughout the texts as well as in a designated "Activities" section. Information is attractively displayed; the brightly colored layout is visually interesting and includes a mix of photographic images and computer-generated cartoons and diagrams. Changes in font style often accompany information about related animals, although inconsistently, which can be distracting. The author's inclusion of a letter describing her research process is a nice touch; the letters in It's Spit-acular! and Pump It Up! are the only ones to include bibliographic information on her sources. Students craving explanations of the human body's processes, with a nod toward the disgusting, will enjoy these books. With the exception of It's Spit-acular!, which contains rarely covered information, these are additional purchases.--Nicole Waskie, Chenango Forks Elementary, Binghamton, NY