Operation and Books About Bodies

Operation is a board game classic. There aren’t many people my age that haven’t had a turn at trying to take the little plastic pieces out of the body without getting buzzed. I’m not sure that my kids’ generation could say the same.

Many kids, my own included, go through a stage of wanting to learn about their bodies. Finding age-appropriate material to assist can be challenging. Some children only want to know about certain things, and they might not be ready for other information. As a parent, it’s a good idea to always double-check and make a decision based on your child’s maturity and interest level.

Below I’ve put together a list of some body-related books that you might like to consider paring with this vintage game for some educational and fun family times. You might find that a game is a great ice-breaker for those important conversations about private parts, puberty, and relationships.

See Inside Your Body, Usbourne

We’ve had this in our family library for a long time now and it still gets a read. I’ve said it before, Usbourne does really well at presenting non-fiction information in an age-appropriate, but still an accurate way. The “See Inside” series takes readers through different aspects of the world with comically drawn diagrams and lots of flaps to lift up and explore. The other thing I have to say is these books are sturdy.

This particular book takes children on a journey through the different parts and systems of their bodies. They learn how blood is pumped around, how the nervous system gives warnings, how muscles and bones work together, and – a favourite of my kids – how food becomes poop.

As I said, we’ve had ours for years and years and it’s holding up very well, with no tears or problems with the binding. At $9, this is an absolute steal, perfect for children from ages 3 and up.

Bodies are Cool, by Tyler Feder

Released last year, this book is an ode to the form, function, and beauty of the human body. With no storyline or characters, this might be considered an early reader’s non-fiction book. Each page focuses on the variety of ways a body can be and celebrates them all. I like that the Feder has portrayed all types of bodies for kids to consider and learn to accept as they begin to understand the changes their bodies might undergo throughout their life.

Feder cleverly and kindly recognises the wide array of bodies, some are hairy, some have scars, some are bigger, some are slimmer and all have different skin tones. Some bodies don’t work the same as other bodies, so they might need glasses or hearing aids, or prosthetics. And while the text points much of this out, the illustrations really help get the message across. By depicting the human body in so many different forms, readers are sure to find themselves somewhere. They might also see a vision of their future, which must surely help young people develop realistic ideas of what their bodies might look like as they age.

No Means No!, by Jayneen Sanders and Cherie Zamazing

Books that help kids understand private body parts, how to deal with tricky adults, and verbalising their wishes and preferences are very difficult to come by. Especially ones that don’t feel didactic. So it’s no exception that this book while promoting a much-needed message, does feel a little like a lesson wrapped in a loose story. I would recommend this book to families with young children who need to have those conversations about respecting other people’s bodies and ways to protect their own bodies.

Illumanatomy, by Katie Davies and Carnvosky

Part of a stunning series from Wide Eyed Editions (Quarto), this non-fiction is a great option for a 6+-year-old who is curious about the human body and its systems. The unique feature of this book is that it has been printed so that by using the blue, green, and red films provided, images can be separated. It will help readers see how the different systems of the body relate to each other. There is not really a better bookish way to explore the inner workings of a body than through this book. It is totally giftable as the concept and execution are exceptional, and the quality of the printing and publishing is very high.

A Girl’s Guide to Puberty and A Guy’s Guide to Puberty, by Michelle Mitchell

I’ve blogged about these books before and you can read my full review here. You might think it a bit cliche to couple one of these books with the game Operation. However, I find that when we’re engaged in a routine activity like a board game, there is a chance for more relaxed conversation with tweens. This might just break the ice on what can be awkward conversations to begin. We found these ideal books for our 9-12-year-olds.