Contemplating Your Bellybutton (My Body Science)
The importance of the bellybutton is explained to a young child through a simple story and realistic illustrations.
Tettchan is a young boy who is self-conscious of his "outy" bellybutton.
The author uses simple, non-scientific terms to explain the role bellybutton plays before birth. It also stresses the importance of keeping the area clean.
The book was originally written in Japanese and it is obvious that the translator tried to stay as close to the original as possible. I didn't love the book the first time I read it, however, my appreciation for its complexity grows everytime I read it.
In its simplest form, the book describes the important role the bellybutton plays in our physical development. However, the story can be taken much further. The anatomically correct pictures lend themselves to a discussion about the birth process and the special bond between parents and children.
On a deeper level, it can be used to show that although people may look different on the outside, as represented by different looking bellybuttons, our bodies function in the same way. We should celebrate what makes us unique and different.
I recently read this book to a group of children, between the ages of 2-8. The younger children liked the pictures and kept looking at their own 'buttons', but the older children seemed to appreciate the significance of the story. Although a couple of the boys, couldn't resist snickering at the graphic pictures. It led to careful observations of our buttons, including my 5-month-old son's umbilical hernia, and discussion of how something that seems so boring can play such an improtant role in our lives.
