Power to the Parasites!
by Chelsea L Wood (Author) Dave Mottram (Illustrator)
Power to the Parasites! lets you in on a secret: Parasites are all around you, all the time, quietly running the world. You might think of them as slimy, disgusting freeloaders - tapeworms and roundworms and ticks and lice, too small to be important and too selfish to be valued. But by the end of this book, you'll realize that sometimes parasites are the good guys.
Learn where you're most likely to find parasites in your own food (heads up, you might not want to eat any uncooked fish right before reading this book), and how parasitic infection changes the behavior of many organisms--including human beings.
Parasites might be weird and mysterious, but the better we understand them, the less we have to fear about them. In fact, many parasites are in big trouble. With climate change threatening parasites around the world, there's no better time than right now to learn about these often-unseen creatures living among us.
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Publishers Weekly
Debut author Woods delves into the life and times of much-maligned parasites in this frolicking scientific foray. Enthusiastic, tongue-in-cheek text reminds readers that "parasites are all around you, quietly running the world," then unfurls into approachable explanations about the myriad parasites found in birds, cows, fish, and human bodies. Humorous and cleverly titled chapters--such as "A Plague on Both Your Houses," in which the author describes the Yersinia pestis that caused the bubonic plague--paired with animated illustrations by Mottram make sometimes gruesome tales about the history of parasites feel like a leisurely jaunt à la Ms. Frizzle. But Woods doesn't let this joyful playfulness overshadow important messaging about these organisms and their impact on society. The author explains that while parasites can be bad for their hosts, "they are often good for the ecosystems in which they occur," and cautions against outright detestation of their existence. For as humans work to eradicate parasites that have plagued humankind for centuries, "we might have made ourselves vulnerable to something much worse," such as autoimmune diseases later in life. This enjoyable read will have readers exclaiming "cool!" instead of "ew!" Ages 8-12. (Nov.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
An eye-opening, as well as stomach-churning, angle on who's really the boss in the natural world.
Review quotes
"Humorous and cleverly titled chapters—such as "A Plague on Both Your Houses," in which the author describes the Yersinia pestis that caused the bubonic plague—paired with animated illustrations by Mottram make sometimes gruesome tales about the history of parasites feel like a leisurely jaunt à la Ms. Frizzle. . .This enjoyable read will have readers exclaiming "cool!" instead of "ew!"" —Publisher's Weekly, starred review
Chelsea L. Wood is an associate professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington. Her research program explores the ecology of parasites in our changing world. Power to the Parasites! is her first children's book.
Dave Mottram is a full-time illustrator living in Ohio. He works in mixed media and both traditional and digital art to create a style that is at once sophisticated and childlike. Dave has illustrated a wide range of books, including the Junior Library gold standard title, Buzzkill written by Brenna Maloney.JNF037020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Environmental Conservation & Protection
Parasitology
