Sam's Science: I Know How We Fight Germs - Hardcover

Rowan, Kate

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763605034 ISBN 13: 9780763605032

Publisher: Candlewick, 1999

Synopsis

Sam and his mother talk about germs, viruses, and bacteria, including how the body fights harmful germs and uses germs that are helpful, in a fun, scientifically sound story with drawings by the illustrator of Cows in the Kitchen.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-These picture books introduce scientific concepts in story format. The texts are both informational and entertaining as a little boy named Sam converses with his mother about what happens to his food and then about his cold and the role germs play. Children should relate to the nontechnical way the mother explains things and especially to Sam's remarks, such as "Cool," "Yuck," "I know...But I like picking at scabs," and "We have burping contests at school." The bright and appealing cartoons are done in colored pencils and watercolors. The uncluttered diagrams should be helpful in explaining the concepts. Unfortunately, Food is written with British terminology, which may confuse young readers. For example, instead of setting the table, Sam is asked to "Lay the table" and dessert is referred to as "afters." Spellings are also different, such as "litres," "oesophagus," and "metres." The series could fill a need for nonfiction for younger children, but it should be consistent with American spellings and terminology.
Susan Knell, Pittsburgh State University, Pittsburgh, KS
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

The Sam's Science series (see Maynard, above) introduces Sam, who has a cold, and who sneezes; his mother explains why he should catch his sneeze in a tissuea germ from a sneeze can spread up to ten yards, ``as far as three elephants standing in a line.'' Sam and his mother discuss how people get colds; how the body fights germs; the components of blood, including white blood cells that zap germs and eat bacteria; how scabs keep the bacteria out, and much more. While they talk, Sam imagines the white blood cells as smiling white cotton balls with striped legs, running after the toothy orange germs, the chicken pox virus has spots, while the bacteria, which McEwen shows as pickle-like and with legs, is running from the white blood cells. Rowan packs a lot of information into this useful title, enhanced by the humorous illustrations. It's a lively and inviting introduction to colds and germsand sciencefor the sniffle-prone picture-book set. (Picture book. 6-10) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0763605034
• ISBN 13: 9780763605032
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: McEwen Katharine