Breasts (My Body Science) [Hardcover]

Genichiro Yagyu (Author), Amanda Mayer Stinchecum (Translator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: My Body Science

Explains the nature and development of breasts in females and how they are used to breast-feed milk to babies. Includes a section for mothers to read to children who were not breast-fed for medical reasons.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2This book, aside from being visually unappealingfull of orange, white, and black sketches of wide-eyed and open-mouthed kidsis a puzzlement. The rambling text explains that women have breasts so they can make milk and feed it to their babies, but that meneven Sumo wrestlers who have big breastsdont make milk. Thats it. Its an incredibly unattractive book and the amateurish illustrations do nothing to explain the process. The milk ducts look like cauliflower florets in a strainer and the drawings of a baby and its mothers breast look more like the child is playing with Snoopys nose or two Junior Mints.Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Following the success of Taro Gomi's Everyone Poops (1993, not reviewed), this is a similarly direct picture book from Japan, and more crudely done. Laughing at two children who think he's wearing a bra, a hefty man explains that it's only a belt over a tank top, then launches into a brief, patchy question-and-answer that covers the physical development of breasts (in women), nursing``When a baby grabs hold of the breast and sucks on the nipple (glug glug glug), milk flows from it''and why most people don't remember much of their babyhood. The two-color illustrations depict a series of mostly bare-chested men, women, and children, drawn with thick black lines and filled with a garish orange. Enlighten curious children by sharing relevant passages from such guides as Robie Harris's It's Perfectly Normal (1994) instead. (Picture book. 5-7) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 28 pages
• Publisher: Kane Miller Book Pub; First American Edition edition (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 091629188X
• ISBN-13: 978-0916291884
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Breasts" is a must-have book for American children, April 18, 1999

By 

Katherine A. Dettwyler "dettwyler" (Newark, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breasts (My Body Science) (Hardcover)

I've loved this series from Kane/Miller since I first read "Everyone Poops", and have been giving sets of them as baby gifts ever since. They're hysterically funny, they're factual, they appeal to children and provide solid information about topics lots of adults won't even admit exist, let alone talk about. For several years I've been hoping that "The Holes in Your Nose" would be followed by "The Bumps on Your Chest" -- a book about breasts from this same series. Finally, it's here, though it is simply titled Breasts. As someone who has devoted my academic life to educating people about breastfeeding, I couldn't be more delighted. Finally, a book that is unapologetic in explaining to children that breasts are for feeding babies. A refreshing counterpoint to all the cultural messages children get about breasts as sex objects, breasts as a measure of a woman's beauty and femininity, or breasts as harbingers of death from cancer. My only teensy-weensy criticism of this book is that, contrary to the claim in the book, not all children lose interest in breastfeeding after a year or so -- around the world, including the US, many children nurse until they are 3, 4, or 5 years of age, or older, and thus are clearly able to remember breastfeeding! All in all, this is a great book. The descriptions of breastfeeding are wonderful. Highly recommended!! Buy several and give them to your local public library, church nursery, and local day-care center. Buy one for all your pregnant friends -- believe it or not, some people in the US still don't realize that breasts are for breastfeeding.

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hysterical book about the function of breasts/breastfeeding, October 23, 2000

By 

christinemm - The Thinking Mother (Houston Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Breasts (My Body Science) (Hardcover)

A candid and realistic discussion of male and female breasts, and why they are different. A big focus on breastfeeding as the (only real) function of the breasts. Breastfeeding portrayed in a wonderful light and the milk production process is explained in simple terms. I began reading this to my breastfeeding 1 year-old and he loved it then and continues to love it as a weaned 3 year-old. There are many funny parts. Highly recommended to read to children who are exposed to breastfeeding and who feel breasts are a normal body part to see and know that breasts have a real and important function. Great to read to older children in preparation for the arrival of a new sibling who will be breastfed. This book is not in any way sexual or titillating and does not treat breasts as a sexual toy for adult men.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and hilarious, June 14, 2000

By 

Shelley Gammon "Geek" (Kaufman, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breasts (My Body Science) (Hardcover)

I bought the Japanese version of this book in a 2nd-hand bookstore. Even though there were no English words anywhere in the book, I could totally understand what was being communicated by the illustrations.

The children and adults drawn in the book are endearing and expressive. And I laughed outloud in the bookstore as I thumbed through it. The expressions on the characters' faces are just adorable. Adults of my parents generation were a little too shy or aloof when the topic of sexuality or body parts came up. Many adults of my generation state quite clearly that they will do it different, but it's hard to know how to break the ice on such topics when your only experience was with parents that acted as though the subject matter was taboo. My own parents were pretty forthcoming, but I know that was the exception and not the rule.

A simple and to-the-point book with a simple and to-the-point title.