A Wonderleaf question
Why do we sneeze?
a real page from the book
We sneeze because the nose has noticed something irritating and needs to clear it away. Dust, pollen, pepper, or germs can tickle sensitive nerves, and the brain answers by sending a fast blast of air out through the nose and mouth.
A sneeze uses more of the body than children might guess: chest, belly, throat, and diaphragm all join in. Some people even sneeze in bright sun, probably because nearby nerve signals in the face and eyes get mixed together.
Wonder words
- mucus
- pollen
- reflex
- diaphragm
Try it out
Shine a flashlight near, not into, a grown-up's closed eyes and talk about why noses and eyes send messages to the brain.
Read the whole picture book
Watercolour scenes, straight answers, about three minutes cover to cover.
Open the picture bookKeep wondering
- Why does hair grow?
- How do germs get inside the body?
- Why do we cry tears?
- Why do we sweat?
- Why does my stomach growl?
- Why do we have a belly button?
And the next question?
Ask anything — Wonderleaf writes and illustrates a picture book for it. That's the whole idea.
Ask your own question