A Review of Germs Make Me Sick

doi:10.1128/jmbe.v11i2.228

Elizabeth A. B. Emmert , PhD
Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD, E-mail:
eaemmert@salisbury.edu .

Germs Make Me Sick; Melvin Berger; (1995). Illustrated by Marylin Hafner. Harper Collins, New York, NY. 32 pages.

A slightly dated but still very worthwhile children’s microbiology book is Germs Make Me Sick by Melvin Berger. This book is intended for children ages four to eight and is full of accurate, easy-to-understand information about bacteria and viruses.

The book is a loose narrative covering what happens when a child gets sick, starting with the initial infection and ending with recovery to health. Along the way, Berger does a fantastic job of including a great deal of basic microbiology and immunity at an interesting and simple level. The journey includes mention of the shapes of bacteria and viruses, innate immunity, mechanisms of disease transmission, mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity (he refers to enzymes and toxins as poisons), viral replication inside cells, and the use of antibiotics (he calls them drugs) to combat bacterial – but not viral – infections. Even though numerous concepts are covered in this book, the story remains engaging.

Marylin Hafner has done a fine job illustrating the book with lots of colorful pictures of children in various places (at school, at an aquarium, home in bed, at the doctor’s office, etc.). She has also drawn simple diagrams illustrating phagocytosis, antibodies, bacterial shapes, and viral replication. Finally, many of the drawings of children and adults include one or two speech balloons that add more interest to the story without overwhelming the illustration.

This book is a terrific overview of the disease process that is clear and engaging for small children.

(Return to Top)

JMBE
ISSN: 1935-7885

Username
Password
Remember me

Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education

A Review of Germs Make Me Sick