An adventure that will make science fun for young, aspiring health professionals, and any other kids who may be curious...
Immunologist and STEM advocate Gandhi offers an introduction to immunology that aims to turn science into an adventure and young readers into decision-makers.
This book offers a refreshing blend of science education and interactive storytelling that feels both timely and enduring. Structured as a two-in-one, Choose Your Own Adventure-style book, the story follows a boy named Mayu through two possible scenarios: one in which he receives a vaccine, and one in which he doesn’t. The result is an engaging, age-appropriate journey through the immune system that respects young readers’ curiosity, intelligence, and decision-making ability. In her presentation of both options, Gandhi encourages critical thinking and equips children with the foundational vocabulary and scientific concepts to understand what happens in their own bodies. Along the way, readers encounter colorful, anthropomorphized elements, including B cells, T cells, and macrophages, portrayed as heroic defenders in a microscopic battle against invading threats. The virus is also cleverly personified with villainous flair, helping to clearly explain how infection spreads and how the body responds with or without vaccine protection. The choice-oriented format gives children a sense of control while reinforcing ideas of cause and effect in a way that feels exploratory, rather than instructional. Visually, the book has a comic-book-like energy, with dialogue bubbles, labeled illustrations, and boxed facts that keep the pace snappy and digestible, even when the science delves deep into molecular action. Bramwell’s illustrations are bright and fun, combining biological accuracy with imaginative flair and lively character expressions. Mayu, his mom, and his sister are portrayed with joyful realism; the siblings and their mother are depicted with brown skin, and other characters have a range of skin tones. Gandhi’s scientific expertise shines throughout, and her delivery is pitched perfectly for younger audiences. The tone is energetic, clear, and direct while translating complex immunology into language and visuals that kids can absorb, enjoy, and revisit. Parents will also appreciate how this book encourages meaningful conversations about vaccines, illness, and social responsibility.
An adventure that will make science fun for young, aspiring health professionals, and any other kids who may be curious about vaccines and viruses.Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9798218751623
Page Count: 47
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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