Your Bones Are Stronger Than Concrete by Diana Lawrenson whips the reader from remarkable facts to bizarre histories with such energy it leaves the reader with a few broken bones themselves. I’m sure that few facts have been omitted in this comprehensive collection of extraordinary information.

Your Bones Are Stronger Than Concrete is a wonderful mix of gruesome descriptions and images such as the church of Santa Maria della Concezoine decorated in the bones of thousands of monks with fascinating detailed facts about bones. Knowing how many of the boys I teach are often buried in the Guinness Book of Records, Your Bones Are Stronger Than Concrete will continue to provide them with many gasps, wrinkled brows and laughs as well as learnings.

The information contained in the book seems haphazardly connected within loose chapters. The inclusion of a detailed index enables teachers or students to utilise this text as a useful resource in understanding human development and health issues. Embedded with relevant and detailed health facts the text is a great way to introduce students to more serious health issues.

Whether picked up as a teacher resource or included in a guided reading group this text will provide the basis for much discussion, laughter and wondering. ( )