The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body

In this comprehensive and entertaining resource, David Macaulay reveals the inner workings of the human body as only he could. In order to present this complicated subject in an accurate and entertaining way, he put in years of research. He sat in on anatomy classes, dissections, and even reached inside the rib cages of two cadavers to compare their spleen sizes. He observed numerous surgeries, including a ten-hour procedure where a diseased pancreas was removed, as well as one where a worn-out old knee was replaced by a brand new one. This hands-on investigation gives Macaulay a unique perspective to lead his readers on a visual journey through the workings of the human body.

The seven sections within the book take us from the cells that form our foundation to the individual systems they build. Each beautifully illustrated spread details different aspects of our complex structure, explaining the function of each and offering up-close glimpses, unique cross-sections and perspectives, and even a little humor along the way.
This one-of-a-kind book can serve as a reference for children, families, teachers, and anyone who has questions about how his or her body works. When readers see how David Macaulay builds a body and explains the way it works, they will come away with a new appreciation of the amazing world inside them.

Author: David Macaulay
Publisher: Clarion Books
Published: 10/07/2008
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 3.15lbs
Size: 10.90h x 8.40w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780618233786
Audience: Ages 9-12


Award: Parents Choice Awards (Fall) (2008-Up) - Gold Medal Winner
Award: Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards - Honor Book


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 06/15/2008 pg. 49
Horn Book Magazine 09/01/2008 pg. 611
Kirkus Review - Children 09/15/2008 pg. 1010
Voice of Youth Advocates 10/01/2008 pg. 361 - Recommended - Hard To Beat
School Library Journal 10/01/2008 pg. 171
Booklist 10/15/2008 pg. 32
Publishers Weekly 10/27/2008 pg. 55
New York Times Book Review 11/09/2008 pg. 38
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 12/01/2008
SLJ's Best Books 12/01/2008 pg. 37
Science 12/05/2008 pg. 1471
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2009 - Outstanding, Noteworthy In Style
ALA Notable Children's Books 03/15/2009 pg. 25
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001

About the Author
Macaulay, David: - David Macaulay is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books have sold millions of copies in the United States alone, and his work has been translated into a dozen languages. Macaulay has garnered numerous awards including the Caldecott Medal and Honor Awards, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Christopher Award, an American Institute of Architects Medal, and the Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award. In 2006, he was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, given "to encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations." Superb design, magnificent illustrations, and clearly presented information distinguish all of his books. David Macaulay lives with his family in Vermont.