Osteoblasts to the Rescue
Merrin and Pearl are at it again! This time these two young Human Body Detectives are exploring the skeletal system.
With the ability to jump in and examine the various systems in the body, Merrin and Pearl’s adventures are fun stories and helpful tools to educate children.
In Osteoblasts to the Rescue, Merrin and Pearl navigate their friend, Lily’s, broken arm and learn all about bones.
As the fourth in The Human Body Detectives series, Osteoblasts to the Rescue can also stand alone as a book that’s sure to inform, engage, and inspire readers of all ages.
Pearl has a question about the human body and, along with her sister Merrin, is able to explore what goes on inside of us. This time they're learning about bones.
This is a short read so I read this with my kids because I wanted to hear what they thought about it. It's a fun and interesting story with great illustrations. Some of the words are big and sound similar to other words so it helps that there's a Glossary in the back. I got a lot out of this book, too. The fun fact section was interesting. I like that she included calcium food sources because I've been surprised by how many people think you can only get calcium from dairy. We all enjoyed the joke section and had some good laughs out of it.
Overall, it's a great book to learn about the importance of bones and what we can do to keep our bones healthy and strong! This is the fourth book and I plan to get the other three as well!
My Rating=5 stars
1. What genre are you most comfortable writing?
I, happily and excitedly, write for the childrens’ book market for ages 4 to 10.
2. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I feel that Human Body Detectives series is the modern version of Magic School Bus.
3. What inspired you to write your first book?
Basically, I was flipping pancakes one Sunday morning when it dawned on me that I could write a series of entertaining and educational adventure stories through the different systems in the body; however, it all began in the classroom. When my kids were younger, I spent time in their elementary classrooms, talking about the digestive system and nutrition. It was quite obvious that kids loved learning about how their bodies work and what foods best fueled them. I searched through the library, book stores and Amazon but was unable to find any books about the human body that were engaging. When I was flipping those pancakes, I was pondering all this and knew that kids would gravitate towards these books and in return, would provide a profound, long-term healthy effect on them. Human Body Detectives, specifically, The Lucky Escape: An Imaginative Adventure Through the Digestive System, was then born.
4. Do your books have a teaching objective? If so, what is it?
Yes! But what is so wonderful about the series is that kids do not even realize they are learning. My goals for students are:
(a) Have a basic understanding on how each body system functions, how they work independently, yet are dependent on each other to function optimally.
(b) Understand the important role nutrition plays in having a healthy body.
(b) Understand the important role nutrition plays in having a healthy body.
5. What is your writing schedule?
I usually spend a few hours in the morning writing down ideas and key medical points for the story and then begin writing. It maybe a little backwards but I like to just get writing as you can always edit!
6. What projects are you working on now, or plan for the future?
My fourth book on the skeletal system is just about to launch but up next are journeys through the nervous and muscular systems.
7. What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
At the end of each story there are a few more pages to reinforce what the kids have learned: a brief journey through the specific story, trivia, jokes, diagrams, and glossary. I really want kids to understand how their bodies work and why eating healthy food is important.
8. Do you plan on doing a series for older kids?
Funny you ask this. I recently launched the Human Body Detectives Go To School Nutrition 101 for Middle and High School curriculum. It is an extensive nutrition unit for grades 6 through 12. It is full of entertaining labs, practical information and simple everyday guidelines to food and nutrition.
9. What’s your favorite place in the entire world?
East Africa. Before studying biology in university, I was fortunate enough to spend 9 months in East Africa working with Daphne Sheldrick and her orphaned elephants. Not only is the wildlife incredible but so are the people – the African continent is simply majestic.
10. What do you do to unwind and relax?
I hike in the mountains with my energetic and happy dogs, and hang out at the beach surfing, paddle boarding and snorkeling with my family. When time allows, I like to get on an airplane; I loved to travel and see the world.
I'm excited to hear about her food and nutrition curriculum. You can learn more about her elementary curriculum HERE and her middle and high school curriculum HERE.
I'm excited to hear about her food and nutrition curriculum. You can learn more about her elementary curriculum HERE and her middle and high school curriculum HERE.
Author Heather Manley, N.D.I have always been passionate about healthy foods and exercising. Growing up in Toronto, Canada I would exhaust my allowance at the health food store and write school papers on spices and herbs. It was no wonder I found myself studying biology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. I loved animals as well so I initially focused on wildlife conservation and animal biology, however, with some exposure to naturopathic medicine, this health care philosophy rang true for me. I switched to pre-med and I graduated in 1993. I earned my doctorate at the from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon before moving with my family to Hawaii where I became licensed and continue to practice today.
Everything I learned in medschool came into fruition when my children were born. I realized the importance of teaching them, by example, about healthy food and lifestyle. Telling them what to eat was not enough, so I created and wrote educational adventure stories that explain the physiological systems in the body. Not only did my kids love the engaging and interactive stories but so did their friends.
I love seeing kids have fun learning to understand their bodies and how food helps them run faster and be smarter. My focus is on preventative health. I am passionate about encouraging families to seek the value of a simple lifestyle and offering tools to assist them at being proactive and confident in their daily living. I am constantly inspired seeing people make positive changes in their lives. With my website, I am excited to reach more families in a way that will manifest healthy living.
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