Viruses

When Keesha discovers mold on her sandwich, the class takes off on a tour of the mini microbe world, and they learn first hand that these little creatures can have HUGE effects. Ms. Frizzle proves that there is always more than meets the eye in this GIGANTIC adventure.

Germs are all around us, but they’re too small to see. How can these tiny particles, especially viruses and bacteria, make you sick? With rich vocabulary and clear, colorful illustrations, this book is an excellent introduction to microbes that invade your bodies and how your immune system works to fight them off.

This book introduces children to the natural defensive weapons in their bodies. Explore the wonders of mucus, cilia, earwax, skin, stomach acid, and the immune system.

A fun story showing how viruses get around town. Children will enjoy following these two lively viruses on their journey to a school classroom, a shopping mall, and a doctor’s office.

Germs tell their side of the story in this unusual book from the Beginning Reader Science series. The germs, shown as colorful, rather hyperactive monsters, explain that they live everywhere but look for a spot where they can spread disease. Soon they're cavorting in someone's mouth, crying, “Give us someplace dark and damp. What a perfect place to camp!” That illustration alone could inspire a week's worth of diligent toothbrushing. Showing an odd bunch of funny-looking and highly excitable varmints playing, working, and whizzing across the pages, the cartoonlike ink drawings are washed with bright watercolors. An appealing introduction to germs and health, this will fill a niche in hygiene units at the preschool and primary-grade levels. [Carolyn Phelan, Booklist.]

Johnny Jarvis's preoccupation with germs began with the gift of a microscope when he was seven and escalated to an almost obsessive-compulsive behavior, thus his nickname, Johnny Germ Head. Now eight, he sees everything through germ-covered glasses. When a boy at school becomes ill, Johnny yells for everyone to run, in order to avoid the harmful germs being spewed out. He refuses to take a swim test at Kraft Kamp for fear of what's in the pool. Johnny conquers his paranoia in the end, after he saves a toddler from a moat at an amusement park. Then, when he is rewarded with five airline tickets to other parks, he begins to imagine all the things that could go wrong in the air. The main character is well developed, but it's difficult to believe that the other children don't avoid him like the plague, although they do make fun of him. The pacing keeps readers interested and amused. Simple, black-and-white cartoons suit the humor of the story, complete with the depiction of enlarged germs chasing down their victims. [DeAnn Tabuchi, New York Public Library. School Library Journal 1997.]

In this colorful graphic novel, students follow the Super Scientist into the microscopic world of viruses. They learn the difference between viruses and bacteria, and about “attack and counterattack” actions within our bodies. The Max Axiom series of graphic novels devoted to science topics engages even reluctant readers.

Language: English and Spanish. The prevention of infectious disease transmission begins with our children. Teaching them how to wash their hands and why it matters in a world of germs is an important step in that prevention effort. Those Mean Nasty Dirty Downright Disgusting but...Invisible Germs is an imaginative and fun tool that every parent, teacher, child care provider, or public health practitioner should incorporate into their program. [Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D., MPH, State Epidemiologist and Chief Acute Disease Epidemiology, State of Minnesota]

Someone is spreading germs in class. After some of the students get sick, the science teacher builds a high-tech Germostat machine to check each child's paws for cleanliness before lunch. A fun way to encourage vigilant handwashing in young children.