School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-The TV "Science Guy" presents a clear, concise overview that most children will enjoy. Nye covers bacteria, viruses, how germs travel and attack humans, the immune system, and the history of the pox, plagues, and other little diseases. He touches on how germs were discovered, vaccinations, antibiotics, HIV and AIDs, keeping safe and germ free, and why we love and hate germs. Activities are included at the end of each chapter. The step-by-step experiments conclude with a short explanation of how, what, why, when, or where. The author is a natural teacher and writes in an easygoing, smoothly flowing style. Fun and inviting cartoons and full-color photos appear throughout.-Donna Marie Wagner, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
A light tone, diagrams, and humorous cartoon illustrations explain the basics: the differences between viruses and bacteria, how they affect the human body, how vaccinations and antibiotics work, etc. Twelve ""Try This"" pages provide hands-on answers to common questions such as ""How do germs pass from person to person?"" Page-top borders reveal how some organisms look under a microscope. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-7. Television science personality Bill Nye makes plenty of appearances in this large-format volume, with his photo on most double-page spreads and a tiny picture of his face above each page number. But even for kids who aren't Nye fans, the book offers a pretty good introduction to bacteria and viruses. The approach is lively and colorful, with many excellent photos and jazzy-looking drawings illustrating objects, ideas, and processes. Unlike the many nonfiction books with more graphic style than verbal substance, this one does a good job of explaining things (even those that aren't seen) and offering activities that give children worthwhile, hands-on experiences. Though there is no index, readers can use the clear table of contents to locate general topics such as bacteria, viruses, the immune system, vaccination, antibiotics, and the discovery of germs. Tips on hygiene emerge naturally from the discussion. Nye keeps the treatment light as well as logical, making this a good bet for science collections. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2005 Booklist
