Why Do I Grow?

We all poo and grow, and most of us will have, at some time or another, sneezed, bled, drooled or had an itch. These are all ordinary life events that we may just take for granted, never really questioning “why?” we do them or why they happen. Children who read the six books in the “Why Do I?” series, however, will come away with new understandings, especially in terms of how the focal subject matter of each book contributes to a person’s health. As has come to be expected from books in Crabtree series, this title has an opening table of contents and a closing page containing a brief glossary of words highlighted in the text and an index. All books in this series are illustrated with cartoon-like art.

Of the six books presently in the “Why Do I?’ series, Why Do I Grow? is likely the title that will least appeal to its intended early year audience. Firstly, it definitely lacks the attracting gross factor suggested by some of the other titles, and secondly, content-wise, it’s much more demanding than the other five books. Tyler is challenged with the need to explain what hormones and glands are and their roles in the body, especially in terms of growth. Like other books in the series, Why Do I Grow? has a spread that requires readers to turn the book to a vertical position in order to be read. Whereas the other books dealt with some step by step process, the diagram in this book is static in its content. The closing “Record Breakers” section offers some human size trivia.

Why Do I Grow? is still worthy of purchase, it, unlike most of the other books in the series, will, in many cases, require adult intervention to assist young readers in their understandings of its contents.