Seeing Red: The True Story of Blood

Seeing Red: The True Story of Blood

Seeing Red: The True Story of Blood
Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Illustrated by Steve Rolston
Annick Press

When I first came across Seeing Red and read the description, I was certain that it was going to be about forensics, vampires and perhaps delve into a little bit of the medical history of blood, but this book was so much more.

Steve Rolston's comic character, Harker, guides us through the macabre black and gory crimson book, appearing in more than a few comic book frames with a teen vampirette. Pre-teens and teens will readily identify with some of his reactions to some of the more lurid details.

Aimed at kids aged 10 +, Seeing Red methodically goes through bloody facts, bloody rituals, blood ties, bloodlines, hemophilia, porphyria, blood types, blood recipes and more information on blood splatter than can be gleaned from 5 seasons of CSI. My favourite part was the ethnology of blood and the various blood rituals from around the world.

I highly recommend this book for the budding historian, forensic expert or anthropologist. This is the second book that I have reviewed by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, and I must admit that she has once again provided a very thorough treatment of a vast topic.

Although I enjoyed the content, the lay-out caused a few problems. With the added comic strips and facts, the flow of the main information line was difficult to follow on a few occasions. Even though these minor features added other layers of enjoyment and information to the book, it would have been better if they had been consistently set in the margins, so that the reader could better follow the central story line.

Other than those minor points, this is a great book that will make your teen think differently about her sip of communion wine or the real ingredients in blood pudding. It comes with an index to locate specific topics and a section for further reading.


Other reviews of kids' books:
Robert Munsch at Play Act Two
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Books for Preschoolers
More Girl Spies Please
50 Poisonous Questions by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
The Trouble with Marlene by Billie Livingston
The Orphan Rescue by Anne Dublin
Dead Time by Christy Ann Conlin


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