"Wherever you go, tiny hitchhikers tag along for the ride," this
intriguing illustrated nonfiction book begins. "The hitchhikers are
actually microbes --- tiny living things so small that you need a
microscope to see them. And every person carries around trillions and
trillions of these critters." Six of the most common "critters" that
live in and on our bodies are introduced here: bacteria, archaea,
viruses, fungi, protists and mites. Each one has its own preferred
environment, and readers will be startled (and likely a little grossed
out!) by the many places they live, including the hair follicles on our
faces, the folds of our tongues and the lengths of our guts. Just as
surprising, only some of them are "bad guys" that cause disease, and
many of them are actually "good guys" that keep us healthy. There's even
research currently being done on ways to improve or fix our collection
of microbes as a way to make us healthier. Author Claire Eamer's clear,
well-organized and accessible writing --- augmented throughout with fun
facts and silly microbe jokes in sidebars --- keeps the book interesting
and enjoyable. Marie-Ève Tremblay's bright and cheerfully funny
illustrations bring the details to delightful life. With its
cutting-edge information about a topic children will find fascinating,
this book makes an excellent complement to a life science lesson on the
human body. It would also work well for a class on healthy living. A
table of contents, glossary and index are included.
