Washoe County Library System

"Set against a backdrop of [the author's] misadventures in academia, [this work] explores what microbes are and how they live and compares the microbiomes of soil, plants, animals (that includes us), and places, explaining such things as the wrongheadedness of labeling some bacteria 'good' and others 'bad' ... [and] walks you through this incredible garden of the unseen and helps you realize that we share everything"--

Though most of them are too small to be seen with the naked eye, bacteria are everywhere. They appeared on Earth more than 3 billion years before the first dinosaurs. Some bacteria cause deadly diseases, but many of them are helpful to us. They fertilize the soil by breaking down dead material, and they are an essential ingredient in many foods. Bacteria in our own bodies are a vital part of the digestive process.--from page 2 of cover.

Presents general information about different types of germs, as well as the diseases they cause, and how people work to prevent them from spreading.

Microbiologists Brett Finlay and Marie-Claire Arrieta explain how the trillions of microbes that live in and on our bodies influence childhood development; why an imbalance of those microbes can lead to obesity, diabetes, and asthma, among other chronic conditions; and what parents can do -- from conception on -- to positively affect their own behaviors and those of their children. They describe how natural childbirth, breastfeeding, and solid foods...

Uses humor in both text and illustrations to describe how antibiotics were developed and what methods were used to fight infections and disease before antibiotics were available.

The microbes living on and inside us outnumber the cells in our bodies three to one. Many provide services on which our well-being, our moods, our very lives depend. They help to digest our food and operate the immune system. They trade information about potential mates when we kiss. They alert the brain to problems in different locations around the body. The balance of their populations in our gut is a crucial factor in our physical and mental health....

Discusses microorganisms and other tiny creatures, including bacteria, protozoa, viruses, fleas, and plankton.

Bill Nye uses foam models to illustrate the various types of germs and how they function. The recurring character, "Mama Crust," motivates kids to brush their teeth, wash their hands, and cut way back on picking their noses.