Know any readers who thoroughly enjoyed Something Rotten or Who Gives a Poop? Fans of Heather L. Montgomery and her explorations of nature will be delighted with this new deep dive into what can "turn the body into a squirmy germy factory to pump out pathogen after pathogen after pathogen!"
Each chapter explores ways in which members of the animal kingdom deal with pathogens. Everything from parasites large enough to see and down to a tiny virus will get a turn, along with the animals that have developed ways to deal with them. Readers can learn how chimpanzees treat themselves by eating leaves from certain plants or how frogs may be warding off deadly infections with their body temperature. Critters as small as ants or as large as camels all have their own pathogens to deal with and their own methods for doing so.
As each chapter focuses on a different type of animal and pathogen, the scientists studying the processes at work are also featured. Readers will meet biologists studying tree frogs or biochemists looking closely at the blood of alligators. How these investigations could help humans with infections is also discussed along the way. The combination of facts, humor, and encouragement to hypothesize will keep youngsters turning the pages to see what they will encounter next.
Words such as enzyme and ectotherm are defined by a brainy little guy (seriously, he is a brain with glasses and a ball cap) right on the page, no need to flip to a glossary and worry about losing your place in the text. There are also "Fun Fact" and "Not-so-Fun Fact" boxes scattered throughout the book explaining details like why you might crave something salty after a workout or that "3,000,000,000 people are infected with pesky parasites." And humorous illustrations and comic panels help readers visualize the information.
Back matter includes a list of "More Super Symbionts" and selected sources for the incredible information in each chapter. Whether you know a middle grade reader who enjoys books on gross topics such as projectile puke or a budding biologist who is fascinated with how the animal kingdom works, this book is the next one to put in their hands.
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