Your Brain is a Lump of Goo by Idan Ben-Barak, illustrated by Christopher Nielsen

Your Brain is a Lump of Goo – at a glance

The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Made by brains, about brains.
Children’s book title: Your Brain is a Lump of Goo.
Children’s author: Idan Ben-Barak.
Children’s illustrator: Christopher Nielsen.
Genre: Non-fiction picture book.
Published by: Allen & Unwin Children’s.
ISBN: 9781761180996.
Recommended for children aged: 6-10 year-olds.
First published: Paperback February 2024.
This children’s book is ideal for: children interested in how brains work.


Your Brain is a Lump of Goo by Idan Ben-Barak, illustrated by Christopher Nielsen

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Our review:

Your Brain is a Lump of Goo is a book about the brain that is aimed at children aged 6+. The brain is compared to a pineapple which helps a child to visualise the brain’s size and also adds humour by comparing the two throughout the book, for example: “At night, when we sleep, I imagine weird things. Which pineapples don’t do. Probably.

Your Brain is a Lump of Goo by Idan Ben-Barak spread 1 The illustrations are clever, fun, bright and engaging, encouraging children to absorb the information playfully. Eyes on the brains and pineapples give the illustrations character and great expressions.

Your Brain is a Lump of Goo by Idan Ben-Barak spread 2

Although the descriptions are educational, they are as attractive as the title which will interest young and older children. After your child has explored emotions, memory, imagination, creativity, individuality, reasoning, weirdness and fart jokes, there’s more.

Your Brain is a Lump of Goo by Idan Ben-Barak spread 3

At the back of the book is a double-page spread which is packed with lots of information about the brain that would interest older children or young children who have an appetite for more and more details. This extra information provides added value to an amusing “book made by brains, about brains, for brains.”

Many thanks to Allen & Unwin Children’s for the review copy.


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If you like Your Brain is a Lump of Goo by Idan Ben-Barak, illustrated by Christopher Nielsen you might also like: our reviews of Tell me about the Human Body & Plants By Emily Dodd, Happy Healthy Minds by The School of Life, Super Small: Miniature Marvels of the Natural World by Tiffany Stone and I Ate Sunshine For Breakfast by Michael Holland.


Browse our list of STEM books



About Joanna Hadley

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I have worked within childcare for the past 34 years and have been a foster carer for ten of these years. My expertise is supporting traumatized children and their social and emotional health. I have used social stories to support children, build self esteem and to encourage interests. I have written two children's books. Website | Reviews by Joanna Hadley