HP Newquist is the author of more than a dozen books, hundreds of
magazine articles, and several film documentaries. His most recent
book is Scholastic's "The Great Brain Book" which the National
Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council chose
as an outstanding science book for 2006. In order to write "The
Great Brain Book," Mr. Newquist learned everything he could about
the brain, even spending several days in a hospital operating room
watching brain surgery.
His other books include "Virtual Reality" (also for Scholastic),
which incorporated 3-D images and glasses to give young readers an
in-depth and entertaining look at the world of modern technology;
"Space" written with CNN anchor Lou Dobbs; "The Yahoo! Ultimate
Reference To The Web," a guide to the best websites on the Internet
(a Book Of The Month Club Main Selection); "The Way They Play"
series, which teaches students how to play music like their
favorite musicians; and "The Brain Makers," a history of man's
quest to create thinking machines. His writing been translated into
languages including Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, and even
Indonesian.
He has written documentaries and consulted for The Disney Channel
and PBS, is a contributor to the Encarta Encyclopedia, and has
worked with Universal Studios in creating theme park rides. All of
these came about because of Mr. Newquist's experience as a writer!
Booklist 5/15/05.
Gr. 5-8. With an appealing, colorful design and a flashy cover,
this in-depth introduction to the human brain and its remarkable
powers will attract browsers, but strong readers are its best
audience. Newquist begins with the brain in history, from the
ancient Egyptians (who thought the brain was so worthless they
scooped it out of corpses before mummifying them) up to Wilder
Penfield's work in the 1950s, which proved that the brain was the
source of human memory. The book goes on to discuss, in impressive
detail, the structure and inner workings of the organ-glia,
neurotransmitters, hypothalamuses, etc. Pencil drawings and color
illustrations (many of them deliciously icky) help to lighten the
weight of the vocabulary. The clever, kid-friendly anecdotes amid
the anatomy lessons also aid accessibility: the one about a man
whose personality changed after a steel rod shot through his brain,
and the real cause of brain freeze.
John Green
SLJ 9/1/05
NEWQUIST, H. P. The Great Brain Book: An Inside Look at the Inside
of Your Head. illus. by Keith Kasnot & Eric Brace. 160p. diags.
photos. reprods. index. Web sites. CIP. Scholastic Reference. 2005.
Tr $18.95. ISBN 0-439-45895-1. LC 2004042955.
Gr 7 Up-This detailed and informative book offers in-depth
descriptions of brain processes coupled with engaging content.
Intriguing illustrations and diagrams and clear, full-color photos
enliven the text. Historical information pairs nicely with modern
scientific knowledge and practice to provide a complete picture of
the brain. The hardcore science is balanced with anecdotes that
will capture student interest, such as how tightrope walkers rewire
the fear centers of their brains and how lobotomies came to be
popular. This is an excellent resource for reports as it is much
more detailed than an encyclopedia entry or book chapter in a
general physiology reference. It includes a short but effective
index and a one-page list of Web resources. A hand
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