Germs Up Close

Gr 3-5–Upper elementary readers will be fascinated by the highly developed, brightly tinted micrographs and illustrations dominating Levine’s informational book about germs and their effects on the human body. Perfect as a launch point resource to begin a science unit, Levine’s succinct overview of germs provides basic particulars about bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses, with visually dynamic examples of each. Simple, unembellished explanations introduce the four types of germs, while featured examples include pronunciation guides, habitat details, and “more to know” facts about how they may affect the human body. Coordinating frames and background color palettes segment the topics and main text around the boldly colored close-up shots. While formatted with well-placed labels, some visuals are marked with scientific names that go unexplained in the text, leaving readers to look up the subjects from outside sources. Levine includes a glossary and a brief resources list as back matter. In the section centered on viruses, which includes COVID-19 as an example, the author references scientific innovations in treatments, such as vaccine development and basic hygiene practices. In this manner, Levine brings readers “face-to-face” with microscopic germs to learn how they share our world and how we protect ourselves from those that are harmful.