It's Catching - NON FICTION
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.
Kids 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.
Crystal 8F
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, I really enjoyed this book. Even though I thought it'd be pretty gross and I'd be freaked out after reading it. I was wrong. “It's Catching” by Jennifer Gardy is actually a really interesting read. It teaches you a variety of things; like how not all microbes are bad (well all pathogens are), about virus/infection treatments, about the most common and dangerous pathogens and how to prevent them. The introduction is catchy ('I'm a disease detective') and so are all of the titles and subtitles. The little pictures are interesting, eye-catching and colourful. But, this books' facts still keeps it serious. It was informative, yet it didn't scare the skin off of me. It did a very good job. I learned about influenza (flu), measles, and other diseases. I also learned the germ categories (virus, parasite, fungi and bacteria) and how some treatments were made (Alexander Fleming created penicillin/Penicillium by accident, whereas Edward Jenner created the smallpox vaccine by rubbing an infected cow's pus on the bumps and then later being exposed to a bit of cowpox). At the end, there's also a little excerpt about who keeps us safe from pathogens and how we can keep ourselves safe ('Soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants'). There's also a fun little board game and a tutorial on how to grow mold. In conclusion, this book was factual, fun and overall enjoyable. I'd rate it an 8.5/10