Mummies, Bones & Body Parts

When I was 5 years old, this book went everywhere with me. If you know any weird little kids who love science (and aren't too squeamish) this book can't come more recommended.

Perfect for the prepubscent boy :) The pictures are a bit morbid, but the text is eductional and the author is very respectful of the customs of ancient people. I would recommend looking over this book first, with your specific child in mind, before just handing it over.

What a handy little introduction into the world of ancient forensics! This little book is written toward the young adult crowd is all of 64 pages, but it certainly manages to pack all the facts, knowledge, and passionate intrigue into those for a well-rounded base cover of all the nasty details of old bodies. It's easy to see that Wilcox is fascinated by all of this, and that feeling carries on to the readers. She puts in plenty of researched stories to discuss various aspects of the science, plenty of stories of which I have never even heard. Then comes all the fascinating nitty-gritty (considering) details of all that goes on in the studies. It's not the easiest of reads due to the high amount of information, but neither is it the hardest, and the small size should be a comfort. Another great part is all the cool/pictures, and that is one of the reasons this book is so kid-friendly. It's educational, fun, and shows lots of pictures of mummies and dead bodies. Great stuff.

Are you interested in mummies, human fossils, and archeology? Have you heard about the mummy of the 5,000 year-old Iceman, found in the Austrian/Italian Alps in 1991? Do you want to know about mummies from around the world? Then, "Mummies, Bones, & Body Parts," by Charlotte Wilcox is the book for you! The author includes many interesting photographs in this book. Topics include ancient and modern burial practices, and mummies found around the world. The science of cryonics is briefly discussed. The study of human remains by forensic anthropologists and paleopathologists is reviewed for the reader. The European bog bodies, particularly that of Lindow Man, are examined. The author includes a brief essay on Canada's Iceman that was found in 1999 in a park reserve in northwest British Columbia, Canada. The artifacts found with the 5,000-year-old frozen mummy found in the Alps in 1991, Iceman, are discussed. The author reviews the recent archeological finds of the Incan mummies found in the high mountains of Peru, along with the Chinchorro mummies in Arica, Chile. Mummies from Egypt and from ancient China (Xinjiang province) are examined. Charlotte Wilcox includes a discussion on the new science of plastination, the method used to preserve soft tissues of the human body. Further exploration by the author concerns the proper treatment of found human bones, mummies, and remains. A glossary is included along with a list of resources for further reading on these topics. I highly recommend this book for young people and adults who are interested in learning more about our human past.

Looking for a high-interest read for a reluctant grade 6-8 reader? This should do it! Stunning photographs of human remains accompany an interesting text. But this one isn't for the nightmare-prone. Make sure you read through the book to see that it is appropriate for the child you hand it to. The text addresses a variety of ways bodies become mummified, how bodies decay, how and why human remains are studied by scientists, burial customs, and also makes a case for respecting human remains. The book has some interesting science and supports the Investigation and Experimentation strand for grades 6-8, and the Earth and Life History standard for grade 7 (California Science standards).