A fast-paced and fun introduction to the mysteries of microbes.
Icky, germy pathogens of all sorts are introduced in this newest addition to the Gross Science series.
Germs are everywhere, in everything, and they are even on you. Millions can fit on a pin point. Germs come in many varieties too, not just as bacteria and viruses most readers are familiar with, but also as fungi and protozoa. Tracing the history of infectious disease, Kay explores early theories of disease spread, the discovery of microorganisms, and ultimately how germ theory was discovered and proven. How our immune system fights off germy invaders and what we can do to help are also discussed along with plenty more interesting tidbits about humans’ relationships with microbes. In introducing these complex science topics, Kay shows great respect for his readers: The text does not shy away from challenging vocabulary but always explains concepts at an approachable level. This book is notable for its inclusion of a nuanced view of the microbiome, acknowledging that germs are not all bad, that their harm depends on context, and that they can even be beneficial. Shiell supplies goofy cartoons of racially diverse humans in varying degrees of health and of greatly magnified germs, supplying them with googly eyes (in varying number) and grins or frowns, depending on circumstance. Though books on germs are plentiful, these germs are a worthwhile addition to science shelves. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A fast-paced and fun introduction to the mysteries of microbes. (glossary, index, further reading) (Nonfiction. 7-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0412-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
A serious introduction to the national museums that does not take itself too seriously.
The Smithsonian—it isn’t just rocket science.
This spiral-bound guide is a modestly hefty piece of work, but that is due to the fact that we often forget that the Smithsonian isn’t just where they store the Spirit of Saint Louis and the lunar module. It is also home of the national museums of natural history and American history, as well as the air and space museum. And the collections are, in a word, spectacular. Korrell has a good mix going, with plenty of archival and contemporary photographs and illustrations accompanied by punchy text. Both Korrell and museum professionals have contributed the latter, with only a little oversimplification—“Geology is about understanding what we see around us.” It is predominantly straightforward—a good combination of earnest and bouncy—with bracing touches of humor: “Robotic spacecraft aren’t as particular as human space explorers…they do what they are asked to do without grumbling.” Always, Korrell keeps readers engaged with some simple quizzes—you can write right in the “guide”—and hide-and-seek games that challenge readers to find various objects somewhere in the rooms, as well as other activities.
A serious introduction to the national museums that does not take itself too seriously. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 12, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58834-349-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Smithsonian Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2013
A trendy instructional tool, applied with mixed success both here and in the co-published Planet Earth, which gives our...
Kicking off a series, this spotty tour of the biosphere demonstrates both the possibilities and the pitfalls of infographics.
Made up of realistically shaped silhouettes in a range of dizzyingly intense colors, the pictorial graphs packed into each single-topic spread are intended to highlight sequential or comparative relationships. Thematic groupings include the development of life on Earth, types of cells, the range of animal sizes and population trends in selected endangered species. At their best, as in a historical chart of mass extinctions or a silhouette of a sequoia next to a stack of 29 elephants, the visuals are both vivid and revelatory. More often, though, the graphics are poorly scaled (are chicken and turtle eggs really the same size, and what kind of turtle are we talking about?) or are really just stylized illustrations—a strand of DNA, an isolated slice of bread, a diagram of cell division. The accompanying captions and comments aren’t always enlightening either: Ostrich eggs “weigh about 3.5 lb. (1.5 kg)—nearly two bags of sugar.”
A trendy instructional tool, applied with mixed success both here and in the co-published Planet Earth, which gives our geology and atmosphere the same quick once-over. (Nonfiction. 8-10)Pub Date: March 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-926973-74-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2013
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