(1) K-3 Chin follows his acclaimed Your Place in the Universe (rev. 11/20) with an equally stellar exploration of the tiniest components of matter conceptualized by science. The book opens with a brown-skinned child who uses a wheelchair visiting a Southwestern desert. The United States' smallest bird, butterfly, and bee, in turn, alight on her finger, in close-ups that ultimately zoom in to a hair on that finger and put in motion a journey inward to the "building blocks" of biology and physical science. The expedition moves from skin cells to molecules, then to atoms, protons, and elementary particles. Each page-turn, ending in suspenseful sentence breaks ("But the cell nucleus is gigantic compared to... / ...everything else inside the cell"), takes readers to the next step inward. Chin's stunning watercolor and gouache illustrations, colorfully detailed and scientifically accurate, employ perspective to draw readers into observations of life and matter within the smallest possible spaces. The back matter adds details to the text's brief definitions and delineates where the art departs from settled science (in color and spatial relationships). The main text ends philosophically: we are all made of "the same stuff as everything else in the universe," and yet each of us is a "singular person, who can think and feel and discover... / ...the universe within."

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Isabel Greenberg. Colorful, squiggly germs with alarmed cartoon faces swirl all around the three curious children at the center of this useful and entertaining book by the team behind A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars (rev. 1/18) and Power Up (rev. 3/19). In Fishman's funny, conversational text, a scientist explains to the children that many of the rules they hear from grownups ("Cover your mouth when you cough"; "Don't eat off the floor") help keep them safe. The scientist goes on to define germs as microbes and identify the different kinds (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, helminths); show where they can be found inside and outside the human body; and explain what we can do to protect ourselves from illness. Both the bright, cheerful drawings and the author's note encourage children to see germs as a natural part of our world. The chatty, sometimes silly text plays off Greenberg's lively illustrations, which are full of movement and details to pore over. The text mentions the role of vaccines as a line of defense, and COVID-19 is explicitly discussed in the author's note. A nonthreatening and informative introduction to a topic about which children may have many questions and concerns today.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) K-3 Science Buddies: 30-Minute Makers series. Illustrated by Mike Ciccotello. A friendly rhinovirus virion (a single "virus particle") narrates this accessible and timely introduction to viruses, our immune system, and the benefits of vaccines. From an infected person's sneeze to a new host's nose to what happens on a cellular level, our blue-and-green guide delves into virology while keeping a young audience in mind. Both the lively text and the cartoon illustrations temper the science with a spoonful of entertainment ("Lots of us fly in droplets of snot"). After invading a nasal cell, the virion explains, "I shrug off my spiky jacket so RNA can do its job. Off it goes to deliver its chemical code message to Cell: Make more of me. Lots more!" Next, white blood cells programmed to fight back against the quickly replicating virus arrive via the bloodstream. And how about the human host? "You now have a headache and a runny nose." Discussion about the role of antibodies leads to information about vaccines and how that development has helped eradicate the threat of heavy-hitters such as mumps, measles, and polio. A cameo by a COVID-19 virion brings the lesson home. Back matter includes information on how the first vaccine (for smallpox) was created, a guide to the different types of white blood cells, a helpful glossary, a three-book reading list, and a select bibliography. Gesundheit...now wash your hands!

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Shawna J. C. Tenney. The "I Don't Vant to Suck Your Blood" smoothie shop is a vegan establishment, but a thirsty vampire fails to notice (although viewers will, courtesy of the comical illustrations), and orders "a pint of your best blood..." The young (vampire) proprietor launches into an enthusiastic explanation of why blood is "too important to humans for us just to drink it," describing how it travels through the cardiovascular system and why. Meanwhile, the elder vampire grows increasingly desperate: "Vhen does it flow into my mouth?" As in McAnulty's Brains!: Not Just a Zombie Snack, accessible text and art balance lightly macabre humor with clear information, making the biology lesson easy to swallow. A "Dear Blood-Filled Reader" note, additional facts, and a source list are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) 4-6 Big Ideas That Changed the World series. In this third installment of his Big Ideas That Changed the World comic-format series, Brown lays out the crucial steps in human history that led to the discovery and implementation of vaccinations as a solution to the spread of disease. Narrated by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, a key figure in the popularization of smallpox inoculations in the eighteenth century, the book provides readers with a history of the smallpox disease that decimated multiple continents over the course of human history and the various early inoculation methods attempted across the globe prior to Edward Jenner's discovery of a cowpox-derived vaccine. Brown then quickly moves on to Louis Pasteur and the new vaccinations resulting from his work, followed by Jonas Salk and his polio vaccine. Brown employs anthropomorphized cells and microorganisms for a section explaining the ways vaccines work to build our immune systems. A short section on COVID-19 concludes with a hope, "as of ­November 2020," for an effective vaccine. Brown's (The Unwanted, rev. 9/18; Fever Year, rev. 11/19) typical loose pen and watercolor illustrations, including single pages, double-page spreads, and varied panel layouts, make this well-researched ­volume--part history, part science--engagingly easy to read. A timeline, notes, a bibliography, and an index are appended.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(3) K-3 "Lanky bodies, squat bodies, / Tall, short, wide or narrow bodies, / Somewhere-in-the-middle bodies, / Bodies are cool!" Feder's rhyming text and double-page spreads filled with all kinds of people celebrate the variety of our physical attributes. The joy-filled cartoon illustrations pack a lot of bodies into the settings (e.g., subway car, pool, backyard barbecue) and offer plenty to consider. Each scene highlights one feature: physique, skin color, hair ("lots of hair or no hair"; "leg hair, armpit hair"), eyes ("monolids and round eyes"), tummies, legs ("roll-up-to-the-table legs"), scars ("marks-that-tell-a-story scars"), and more. The titular refrain keeps the book's message front and center.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Betty C. Tang. Brayden Harrington has techniques that help with his "bumpy speech," but public speaking still causes stress and embarrassment sometimes. When he meets Joe Biden at a presidential campaign event, Brayden is astonished when Biden tells him: "'When I was your age, I had bumpy speech, too.'" The encounter inspires both Brayden and the soon-to-be president, who invites the thirteen-year-old to (virtually) address the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Like Harrington's viral speech, his autobiographical account is sympathetic and moving, with cheery digital illustrations that emphasize feelings of hope. Appended with tips and other information on stuttering.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by David Catrow. This is a playful, simple look at our bodies' inner workings for young children. A blue-haired, brown-skinned child sits atop a pillow on the book's cover, gazing longingly at a large apple. "I want an apple," the text declares on the first page as the narrator lies with their feet up on an oversized chair. "Smart brain, help me find one." Searching for the desired fruit all around the house--including inside the depths of a worn-out boot and under the dog's floppy ear--the child instructs different body parts to do what they do best. "Sturdy feet, help me stand. Long legs, help me walk." Eventually, an apple is found and feasted upon--with each of the five senses experiencing delight. Catrow's (the Silly Dilly Songs books; Fun in the Sun, rev. 5/15) colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations, all full-bleed double-page spreads, are immediately recognizable with their eccentric details and exaggerated scale (the apple often appears the size of the child's head, for example). The spare text is just enough to introduce concepts of human anatomy to a preschool and early primary audience. The book's final page is an informational drawing of the child pointing out some of the organs used in the apple's journey through the body.

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(3) K-3 This informative and accessible book begins by categorizing the four types of germs that make us sick: bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. Levine introduces each group with general information followed by brief profiles of two or three specific organisms (e.g., E. coli, giardia, trichophyton, coronavirus). She then covers how germs infect us, the immune system's job, and how vaccines work. The well-designed pages feature color-enhanced micrographs that provide a look at this usually unseen world. Appended are a glossary, suggested reading and websites, and a list of "Germy Jobs."

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Rivera. A cheerful zombie narrator, who's trying to kick her brain-eating habit, introduces the features and functions of the human brain. Both the text and animated illustrations successfully walk the line between science--"Your brain is the boss, the coach..."--and silliness: "...the main computer--but tastier than a computer." Our ghoulish guide demonstrates how the five senses act as messengers (here they act as a zombie early-warning system). She compares the human brain's appearance and weight to various animal brains and gets a little more science-y in discussion of neurons, glial cells, and parts of the brain (e.g., brain stem, cerebellum, temporal lobe). An author's note, more brain facts, and list of sources are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jack Teagle. Fans of the authors' Wow in the World podcast will recognize their narrative enthusiasm and energy in this overview. Here they introduce different body systems (e.g., nervous and reproductive) and parts (eyes, skin, bones) with a good dose of humor. Each section is packed with trivia, history, physiology, world records (most stretchy skin, loudest burp), and other tidbits of knowledge. The cartoonlike illustrations incorporate comic panels, spot illustrations, and small photos in a busy but accessible design. A Mad Libs-style "Thank-You Letter to Your Body" encourages readers to appreciate the only body they've got. A glossary, reading list, QR codes for Wow in the World episodes, and an index are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Translated by Don Bartlett. With a combination of cartoon illustrations, goofy humor, and candid information, this very Scandinavian baby-making primer approaches the topic with eyes wide open. The title question yields some ridiculous answers ("With dangerous chemicals? With butter, sugar, flour, and eggs?") before getting serious ("Making a baby begins with love"). After some real talk about how couples express affection ("Cuddling together naked, man and woman, woman and woman, or man and man is called having sex. It's something adult couples do because they're close and they like it"), Fiske covers the basics--conception, embryo development, pregnancy--in some depth. The journey of the sperm to the egg, for example, plays out over nine pages. Fiske includes the fact that having sex doesn't always result in a pregnancy and that some couples are unable to conceive ("We don't have any sperm"). The drawings maintain a sense of humor while introducing forthright details about intercourse: as a naked man and woman kiss, his erect penis says, "Hello!" and her vagina replies, "Come in!" This covers-off look at baby-making doesn't leave much to the imagination; those seeking an uninhibited approach to the topic will welcome this book's directness.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) YA Medical Fiascoes series. Jarrow (most recently The Poison Eaters, rev. 1/20) keeps keen focus on her topic--"the story of medicine during the Civil War"--throughout this valuable work of informational literature. After quickly establishing that the Civil War was fought over slavery, along with an intense depiction of the First Battle of Bull Run, Jarrow reveals the war's deadliest danger: disease. Through a balanced combination of strong narration and harrowing archival first-person accounts, Jarrow demonstrates how unsanitary living conditions coupled with a lack of microbial science knowledge allowed diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, pneumonia, smallpox, tuberculosis, and malaria to kill both Union and Confederate soldiers at twice the rate of battle injuries. Jarrow never shies away from the grim and grisly (exemplified by an in-depth account of the amputation process); however, numerous quotes and images of specific individuals throughout humanize the suffering. Substantial attention is spent highlighting the stories and contributions of women and people of color to the war effort--often in well-designed sidebars and double-page inserts. The enduring medical innovations developed during the war are effectively spot-lit at the book's conclusion. With her previous topics including the bubonic plague and typhoid fever, this first book in the Medical Fiascoes series confirms Jarrow's ability to craft meticulous, page-turning informational texts that thoughtfully examine the history of modern medicine. Back matter includes a timeline, glossary, resources, author's note, acknowledgments, source notes, general and personal accounts, bibliographies, index, and picture credits.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(1) YA Bausum writes compellingly, heartbreakingly, about the earliest days of panic in the gay community, the swiftness of AIDS's progression, disturbing federal government inaction, grassroots research and activism, and breakthrough scientific research. While the narrative is chock-full of information--names, dates, acronyms--Bausum never allows these details to obscure or overwhelm the humanity of the story. Captioned black-and-white photographs, too, underscore the emotional impact. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Isabel Greenberg. This broad-strokes introduction to human physiology explains how energy powers all the body's processes. The text presents information with clarity, humor, and wonder. Greenberg's digital illustrations match the celebratory tone, with a brown-skinned girl with two puffball pigtails at the forefront. The color-saturated spreads play with pace and scale, and motifs of light and energy waves radiate from the pages. An author's note offers further explanation about how energy works.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Jason Chin. Nine pithy, five-line stanzas trace a fetus's development in utero; the story also follows a Latinx family happily awaiting a baby's arrival. As the watercolor and gouache illustrations' left-hand pages track the fetus's transformation, right-hand pages show slice-of-life scenes of the mom, dad, and soon-to-be big sister. A clever, joyful celebration of the nine months leading up to a baby's birth, appended with further details about gestational development. Bib.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) K-3 Pebble Plus: My Body Systems series. Two short sections followed by a "Keeping Healthy" conclusion present very basic information about health and the human body. Simple texts comprised of three or four sentences face full-color photos of active kids. Three final questions help readers review the facts presented in each formulaic book. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pebble Plus: My Body Systems titles: My Immune System and My Muscular System.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Pebble Plus: My Body Systems series. Two short sections followed by a "Keeping Healthy" conclusion present very basic information about health and the human body. Simple texts comprised of three or four sentences face full-color photos of active kids. Three final questions help readers review the facts presented in each formulaic book. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pebble Plus: My Body Systems titles: My Immune System and My Muscular System.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Scott Campbell. A girl with puffball pigtails contentedly chomps on an apple amid a quirky crowd. The next spread repeats the tableau--but with all the faces (except the girl's) shown as skulls. With snappy writing Thornburgh describes a skull's importance (it's "a car seat for your brain") and its functions, while Campbell packs plenty of humor into his muted watercolors. "Cool Skull Facts" are appended.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(4) 4-6 After an introduction to decomposition, this elucidating if obviously grisly volume covers the deaths of seventeen well-known historical figures including Galileo, Van Gogh, and Elvis; shorter connecting sections explore other death-related topics (cannibalism, organ transplants, vampires, etc.). Silly-macabre black-and-white illustrations match the flippant, often gruesome tone of the text. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges