The Bacteria Book

3/19/2020

Steve Mould

Mould -- yes, the name is real -- is a British comedian and educational YouTuber who holds a physics degree from the University of Oxford. His other children's books include How to Be a Scientist, Science is Magic, and Clever Creatures.

Mould's YouTube video of self-siphoning beads prompted research by professors at Cambridge University whose work was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society in 2014. The chain fountain is referred to as The Mould Effect!

Mould's first children's book, How to Be a Scientist, was selected by children for the ILA/CBC Children's Choices 2018 Reading List.

World Context

Again, this is a timely book! Learning about the science of bacteria and viruses during our current pandemic can only be helpful for children curious about how things work.

Looking into a microscope is like peering into an alien world, one full of peculiar, pulsating creatures that act and move in strange ways. These mysterious microbes are absolutely everywhere - around you, on you, and inside you, We live in harmony with some of them, and we're at war with the rest.
Some of the creatures you'll find in this book are gross and terrifying, while others are simply amazing. Get ready to discover the bacteria that makes you fart, the mite that lives in your eyelashes, and the fungus that turns ants into zombies.

Synopsis

Mould's introduction sets the stage for an intriguing look at bacteria - those which we need to live, as well as the microbes which cause us harm. The chapters sequentially build knowledge for kiddos from meeting six of the most common types of microbes -- bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi, protozoa & archaea -- to micro-animals -- eyelash mites, nematode worms, tardigrades & copepods -- to a timeline of microbiology. The chapters discussing viruses and how our bodies fight them are especially pertinent now. The book is colorful, factual without being too gross -- or too terrifying -- and is available in Kindle format!

Learning Connections

Microbiology
Science
Zombie Ants

Ages: 6-9; 72 pages; published in 2018. This is the type of non-fiction science book my daughters would have picked up from the library -- if only it had been available!

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