It's Catching: The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes

by Jennifer Gardy (Author) Josh Holinaty (Illustrator)

It's Catching: The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Don't be afraid to delve into the good, bad, and sometimes truly ugly world of germs. Microbiologist Jennifer Gardy, who calls herself a disease detective, picks up her microscope to bring expert insight to the microbes that are all around us but are too small to see. Irreverent, playful, and contagious in all the best ways, It's Catching discusses a range of germs and the diseases they cause, from the common cold to food poisoning to the Ebola virus. Young readers will be enticed -- and pretty grossed out -- while becoming immersed in information about pus, bacteria, DNA, genomes, and more. They will learn how germs have shaped human history and also about the individuals who are working to hunt them down. Additional elements, like trading card-style profiles of a variety of diseases, a board game, and a detailed index, make this infectious read both useful and entertaining.
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$13.95

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6--An amusing but information-packed look at all things infectious. The cartoon illustrations and chatty text with terms like "tummy" and "cooties" and phrases such as "a quick pit stop in the liver" might lead some to assume this is a lightweight read, but there's plenty to offer in this complex but comprehensible work. Grady describes herself as a "disease detective." Working at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, she has spent years tracking the unfriendly microbes that adversely affect humans. Here she includes various specific diseases (malaria, ebola, rabies, to name a few) and germs (viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, among others) and discusses the scientific research that led to medical breakthroughs like antibiotics and vaccinations. Grady also adds a nice soupcon of how the course of human history has been affected by microbes, such as the Irish Potato Famine in 1845 and Napoleon's army in Syria being struck down by the plague in 1798. Also covered are emerging agents of infection, career offerings in public health, and the importance of personal and public hygiene to prevent the spread of disease. This readable, slender introduction to the world of microbial life is an entertaining and informative eye-opener.--Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Gardy and Holinaty have a good sense of the ideal delivery for a middle-grade audience... The combination of clear, matter-of-fact text and lively design makes this a slender study that's big on information.
— Kirkus Reviews

This book is so interesting and filled with so much valuable information that it will be read cover to cover.
— Library Media Connection

A fascinating, illustrated introduction to microbes - good and bad - and the scientific field devoted to tracking and managing them.
— Shelf Awareness

There's plenty to offer in this complex but comprehensible work ... an entertaining and informative eye-opener.
— School Library Journal
Jennifer Gardy
Jennifer Gardy, PhD is a self-described disease detective. Currently deputy director, Surveillance, Data, and Epidemiology for the the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's malaria team, she has worked at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and hosted science documentaries for CBC Television and Discovery Channel Canada, in addition to research and teaching. She splits her time between Seattle and Chicago. Josh Holinaty's works include book, magazine and newspaper illustrations and public art commissions. Also the illustrator of A Beginner's Guide to Immortality: From Alchemy to Avatars and the Ira Crumb books, Josh lives in Toronto..
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781771470537
Lexile Measure
1150
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Owlkids
Publication date
April 15, 2014
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF024020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Health & Daily Living | Diseases, Illnesses & Injuries
JNF051050 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Biology
Library of Congress categories
Microorganisms
Bacteria

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