Sensational Senses

Gr 1–3—Boasting more than 50 flaps, this effort to encourage readers to learn about the senses as they discover facts about the human body is an amusing experience. With spreads dedicated to sight, hearing, balance, smell and taste, and touch, this lift-the-flap book will have readers occupied for quite some time. Students are asked to uncover the hidden mysteries behind optical illusions, why amusement park rides can make us dizzy, how we taste things, and the role of pressure sensors in navigating our environment. The cartoon illustrations of families enjoying the sights and rides of the Sensational Theme Park are lively enough that kids can catch new things with additional reads. Occasional animal-related comparisons help broaden the appeal (in the spread on hearing, readers learn that "snakes don't have external ears like we do, but sound waves can travel through their skull bones into hearing organs in their heads."). The intended audience for this title is a bit unclear, as the advanced content and vocabulary, presented in a small font, does not fit well with the oversize board book format. The story is nonlinear—students can jump around and explore whatever piques their curiosity.