Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Invisible World of Germs by Isabel Thomas
| Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Invisible World of Germs by Isabel Thomas | |
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| Category: Children's Non-Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: A brilliant and very accesible introduction to the world of germs - for both children and adults. Highly recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 96 | Date: May 2022 |
| Publisher: OUP | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0192779236 | |
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'Germs' seems to have become a catch-all word to cover anything unpleasant which has the potential to make you ill. In the first book in what looks to be a very promising new series, OUP and Isabel Thomas have provided a clear and accessible introduction to the world of germs. We get an informed look at how people originally thought about diseases and what they thought caused them and how the thinking has developed over time. The vocabulary can be confusing but Thomas gives a regular box headed 'speak like a scientist' which explains some of the trickiest concepts and you'll soon be familiar with bacteria, fungi, protists and viruses – and how we should protect ourselves.
The real strength of the book is in the presentation: much of it is in comic strip format and there are plenty of illustrations to guide – or just to amuse – the reader. There's a very fine line between patronising a reader – of any age – and producing something so dry that it doesn't get read with any enthusiasm. Thomas treads it perfectly: I have an arts background and there are a lot of scientific terms which I assume I understand but couldn't explain with any clarity. I'm many times the target age for the book but I emerged at the end with a much clearer understandingbut I never felt patronised. The format would be perfect for the pre-teen reader – and it answered my needs too.
Many short books on topics such as this concentrate solely on the subject under consideration. Thomas is different: we don't just get the history of the various concepts – we find out about the people involved in the discoveries. Reassuringly, many of them are women – and they're not just from the 21st century. We also find out what we can do to protect ourselves, from such simple actions as washing our hands properly to being informed about vaccine availability and taking advantage of it.
I loved that there's a glossary: in many books, terms are explained when they are first used and it's then assumed that you'll remember what it means. We're not all that clever and I, for one, am delighted to have a quick reference to differentiate between an extremophile and an electron microscope. There's an excellent index too – and the covers have flaps at both ends so that you never lose your place. This book's the full, five-star package and is highly recommended.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag. If this books appeals, we can also recommend The Awesome Power of Sleep: How Sleep Super-Charges Your Teenage Brain by Nicola Morgan, How Do You Make a Baby? by Anna Fiske and Don Bartlett (translator) and Humanatomy: How the Body Works by Nicola Edwards and Jem Maybank. The subjects are different but the attention to detail and accessibility are the same throughout. We think you'll also enjoy Stupendous Science by Rob Beattie and Sam Peet.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Invisible World of Germs by Isabel Thomas at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Invisible World of Germs by Isabel Thomas at Amazon.com.
Check prices, read reviews or buy from Waterstones. Waterstones currently charges from £2.75 for orders under £20, over which delivery is free. You may also click and collect from a Waterstones bookshop at no charge.
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