Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Who wouldn't be fascinated by organisms that can eat anything: plants, animals (alive or dead), even oil and rocks? English biologist Davies introduces the strange realm of microbes: their minute sizes, their vast numbers, their diverse forms, and their varied roles in shaping our world. Simply written and concise, the text opens with comparisons that describe just how small these microorganisms are, noting that the picture of an ant would need to be as big as a whale in order for the millions of microbes on its antenna to be visible. While the analogy comparing the number of microbes in a teaspoon of soil to the population of India may be challenging for some young children to grasp, the colorful painting illustrating the idea could serve as a jumping-off point for further discussion. The information that some microbes cause illness is placed within the context of the many amazing things they accomplish. Reminiscent of Alice and Martin Provensen's artwork in its combination of formal structure and amiable tone, Sutton's large-scale illustrations help children to visualize microorganisms and processes that are too small to see. The sequence of simple images illustrating multiplying microbes is quite effective. A handsome and rewarding picture book about the power of tiny creatures.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Zoologist and children's author Davies (Outside Your Window) adds another book about the natural world to her extensive repertoire as she introduces microbes to readers. A straightforward narrative packed with comparisons sheds light on "the invisible transformers of our world," while clever, inviting watercolors help put those comparisons into context. Sutton's paintings, reminiscent of mid 20th-century children's book art with their subtle hues and naive styling, lend a nostalgic, almost cozy feel to the pages. In one spread, smiling, waving people in a skyline full of towering buildings illustrate the idea that "A single drop of seawater can hold twenty million microbes. That's about the same as the number of people in New York State." Another spread contains circular vignettes like petri dishes under a microscope, each with a different microbe: "Some are skinny. Some have wiggling tails. Some look like daisies." An apparent brother-sister duo appear throughout-getting stomachaches, gardening-to demonstrate the connection between these ubiquitous microbes and human life. Davies and Sutton illuminate the world of germs, fermenters, and composters in a charming, succinct package. Ages 5-8. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-A pleasant, picture book-style look at a rather icky topic: microbes, the teeny tiny critters that live on us and in us and everywhere around us, with an impact that belies their minute size. Davies's writing is straightforward but not dry; in fact, she puts the scale and numbers of microbes into fascinating contexts. For instance, to make the millions of microbes on an ant's antenna visible, the antenna would have to be enlarged to the size of a whale. Sutton's folk-art illustrations are rendered in earthy tones on creamy paper and feature two smiling kiddos and a winsome cat, making for a warm visual presentation (who'd have thought a paramecium could be pretty?). This really is an enjoyable beginner's look at these miniscule organisms and the effect they can have on everything from our bodies to the soil to the clouds in the sky.-Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Davies introduces a likely brand-new--and immediately intriguing--concept to young readers: that there are vast quantities of living things (microbes) that are smaller than the eye can see. She does it not with dull lists of Latin terms and classification charts but instead through creative, easy-to-relate-to analogies, and itchy-but-cool facts about the microbes that live on and in us ("Right now there are more microbes living on your skin than there are people on Earth, and there are ten or even a hundred times as many as that in your stomach"). An emphasis on scale, particularly size and quantity, helps children grasp the abstract concepts (a several-page sequence illustrating the rapid multiplication of E. coli is very effective). The tone is light and inquisitive yet also scientifically precise, covering topics such as the shape and variety of microbes, their function, and reproduction. The role of microbes in human illness is touched upon ("it takes only a few of the wrong kind of microbes--the kind we call germs--to get into your body to make you sick"), but balanced with discussion of the helpful things microbes do. Sutton's colorful, friendly illustrations, which render micro-organisms' shapes accurately (if stylized) somewhat, add depth to the presentation. danielle j. ford (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Invisible to the human eye, some of the tiniest creatures are known do some of the biggest jobs on Earth.Davies, who surveyed Extreme Animals (illustrated by Neal Layton, 2006) and encouraged readers to look Outside Your Window (illustrated by Mark Hearld, 2012), here presents examples of microbial life and the work that microbes do. This experienced science communicator makes an immediate connection to her readers, using their prior knowledge of big whales and small ants to convey how tiny microbes can be. She gives examples of their sizes and numbers, their varied shapes, their habitats, appetites and how they eat. Microorganisms slowly change food into compost, milk into yogurt and rocks into soil. They reproduce by dividing, and they're very good at it. Luckily, only a few can make us sick; most are busily engaged in other vital tasks. They are "the invisible transformers of our world." Sutton's watercolor illustrations support and enhance the text. Thoughtful book design adds to the appeal, with generous white space, illustrative vignettes as well as paintings that fill a page or a spread, and an unusually legible type. This will show well when read aloud and intrigue emergent readers.Very little information is available for this age group about these microscopic creatures, making this an especially welcome introduction. (Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
