The Bacteria Book: The Big World of Really Tiny Microbes

by Steve Mould

Overview

In this fun, fact-packed science book for kids, young readers will discover the bacteria, viruses, and other germs and microbes that keep our bodies and our world running, as well as how and when they can be harmful and the precautions we can take to prevent them from becoming so.

Meet a glowing squid, traveling fungus spores, and much more. The Bacteria Book walks the line between "ew, gross!" and "oh, cool!," exploring why we need bacteria and introducing readers to its microbial mates—viruses, fungi, algae, archaea, and protozoa.

The Bacteria Book is a fun and informative introduction to a STEM subject that brings kids up-close to the big world of tiny science. With remarkable photography, kooky character illustrations, and lots of fun facts, this book uses real-life examples of microbiology in action to show how tiny microbes affect us in big ways.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781465470287
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	05/15/2018
Series:	The Science Book Series
Pages:	72
Sales rank:	282,172
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	7 - 9 Years

About the Author

Steve Mould is a science expert and comedian with a physics degree from the University of Oxford. He has a YouTube channel with over 200,000 subscribers, and his videos regularly achieve hits in the hundreds of thousands. One of these videos (about "self-siphoning beads") went viral worldwide, gaining nearly 2 million hits and being mentioned in The New York Times and on the BBC. Scientists later discovered why the beads performed in the mysterious way they did and dubbed it "The Mould Effect." Steve also hosts a radio show on BBC Radio 4 and is part of the live comedy/science trio Festival of the Spoken Nerd. His first book for kids, How to Be a Scientist, is a 2018 ILA-CBC Children's Choices Reading List selection.

Editorial Reviews

In an overview of "peculiar, pulsating creatures" that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, the appropriately named Mould keeps his eye on the ick factor as he dishes out basic facts about the viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, archaea, and "micro animals" with which we share the planet. He also describes how diseases are caught and spread, explains how our immune system works, and, backed by a closing timeline, covers the development of microbiology and antibiotics.... Memorable insights into the invisible world. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10) —Kirkus Reviews

“While Mould definitely promotes the yuck factor, he moderates it with humor...Just watch the grubby fingers reach for this one.” —Booklist 

"The Bacteria Book is an expert blend of visual and written information. There are lots of great attention-grabbing photos, with short blocks of text, and sidebars filled with arresting facts...Like all the best non-fiction books, it informs, entertains, and astounds. Highly recommended" —GeekDad.com

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
Gr 2–4—Mould introduces the intriguing world of microbes to young readers. Bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi, protozoa, and archaea are all defined. Examples are supplied to help children understand the relative size of various microbes (e.g., if a mountain represents the size of a grain of rice then a person would be the size of bacteria and a cell phone would be the size of a virus). Each spread features colorful illustrations that are seamlessly paired with relevant photographs, including many examples of electron microscope photography, and a variety of differently sized fonts with bolded keywords to grab kids' attention. Other topics covered relating to the microbial world include how the immune system defends the body against potentially dangerous microbes, how antibiotics work, and a description of how bacteria in the large intestine are responsible for farts, which will surely draw readers. Numbered, sequential illustrations are used to graphically explain various types of processes, such as how cholera spreads within a community. A microbiology time line highlights a few key events and discoveries. VERDICT With simple language and visually engaging graphics, this book is a solid choice for nonfiction collections; it will appeal to both browsers and budding scientists.—Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn

School Library Journal

2018-03-18
The skinny on the really tiny."Did you know there are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world?" In an overview of "peculiar, pulsating creatures" that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, the appropriately named Mould keeps his eye on the ick factor as he dishes out basic facts about the viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, archaea, and "micro animals" with which we share the planet. He also describes how diseases are caught and spread, explains how our immune system works, and, backed by a closing timeline, covers the development of microbiology and antibiotics. All of this is parceled out in easily digestible portions and incorporated into a high-intensity visual mix of microphotos in cranked-up false color, a diverse array of human figures, and graphic images of melodramatically slavering, grimacing microbes. A debunked claim that babies are born free of germs is the only major slip in this introduction to millions of our closest neighbors, from cold viruses and beneficial (if fart-producing) gut bacteria to zombie ants and demodex mites that "walk around on our eyelids at night."Memorable insights into the invisible world. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews