So, that’s how my body works?!

We originally wrote this children’s book for publish in our mobile app, maro, where we give parents & kids content to use as a medium for tough growing-up conversations around mental & reproductive health, empathy, and diversity. Although the following story contains important knowledge about the body & how it works, it doesn’t really align with those 4 education verticals. So, we thought we’d release it for free. Tell us your honest opinions (i.e. would you use this to teach young kids about their bodies?) and feel free to clap if you’d still like to see this turned into a children’s book!

I’m lying down in the grass, watching clouds and thinking

When it dawns on me, I don’t have to think about moving, breathing, blinking.

My body does all of that without conscious say

It does school work, it sleeps and it plays all day.

As I ponder this thought: How does my body work?

An old, wise cloud gets a clever little smirk.

It stretches and jiggles and morphs just like gelatin.

And, right before my eyes, there’s a wispy, cloud skeleton.

“My name is Mr. Cloud. I’ll be your systems guide.

There are 11 body systems but, today, we’ll learn just 9.

No more fitting place to start than the bones of our design:

The Skeletal System (206 bones) contains the sternum, ribs and spine.

The clavicle, the most commonly broken bone, helps my arm move freely.

The radius is in my wrist and rotates almost completely.

The ilium (that’s in my hip!) moves this big bone called the femur.

My fibula and tibia sit right above my sneakers.

All of the sudden, it’s starting to rain, but Mr. Cloud soaks up all the drops.

Before I know it, the skeleton has muscles so big that it just might pop.

Your body moves all around with a System of Muscles.

More than 600 help you pump blood and jump puddles!

600’s too many, so I’ll just name a few…