Wow!: The Most Interesting Book You'll Ever Read About the Five Senses

Elizabeth Levin is chair of the Psychology Department at Laurentian
University.

Earlier books in the acclaimed Mysterious You series explored the human
body, memory, sleep, eating, and germs. Aha! is as much about the
structure and function of the brain as it is about intelligence. Part
fact (e.g., the average adult brain weighs about 1,350 grams) and part
trivia (e.g., some very smart people have very small brains), it is a
book that makes you want to read more. There’s a section on learning
disabilities that should inspire kids with similar problems, and another
about child prodigies. My one quibble is that the definition of IQ given
as based on mental age is an outdated concept as modern intelligence
tests no longer calculate IQ in this way.

Wow! provides an informative introduction to the five senses. Colour,
depth perception, and visual acuity are just some of the topics covered
in a section on vision. How hearing works, why we have two ears, and the
dangers of loud music are discussed in the section on hearing. There’s
a really neat experiment on taste buds to try as well as cool
experiments on smell and touch. Why pain is valuable and what happens
when we feel no pain is also discussed. The book concludes with a
section on how the senses work together. Both books are nicely
illustrated, entertaining, and interesting and will make a fine addition
to any child’s library. Recommended.