ALL ABOUT THE HEART

A basic introduction to hearts and what they do, written by a pediatric cardiologist.

Though schematic diagrams label major valves and vessels, Composto’s stylized, distractingly busy illustrations generally offer more hindrance than help for Kowalski’s simple descriptions of hearts in various types of animals and how our human one functions. Still, for readers not put off by all the garish colors, misshapen figures in odd poses, and space-filling sprays of dots, stars, and confetti in the art, Kowalski presents a reasonably lucid picture of the organ’s anatomy, blended with insights into its behavior. No, our hearts don’t stop when we sneeze, nor do they actually break…but they do beat at different rates (“children’s hearts are best at pumping very fast to help with exercise, and athletes’ hearts are best at pumping more powerfully" than others'). They sometimes need medical help and, at the ends of our lives, stop working, “just like the other parts of our body.” So “take care of yours,” he writes. “It’s working really hard for you. And next time you give someone a hug, remember that you are really touching hearts with them.” Human figures are depicted in a range of hues, natural and otherwise.

Visuals distract rather than enhance, but overall, this is a sensitive and, fitfully, specific exploration.