Today’s 5 Books post features books about microorganisms! I think this is my favorite 5 books post yet!
I based this week’s 5 Books on a picture book that I featured in last week’s (Jan 9, 2024) New Release Spotlight for Picture Books. It’s called The Three Little Tardigrades by Sandra Fay, who is also the author of The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms.
I was so fascinated by The Three Little Tardigrades because I had never heard of tardigrades before! Are they to do with the Tardis in Dr. Who? Are they some sort of robot or technology item? Nope!
If you are also new to tardigrades, allow me to be the first to introduce you…
Tardigrades are microscopic animals that look like fat little pigs. They are also called “water bears” or “moss piglets,” both apt names for these odd little creatures.
They can be found in water all over the world, including in Antarctica, the deep sea, volcanic lakes, and rainforest rivers. Tardigrades are hardy survivors, and some have even survived trips to space!
Here is a photo of a tardigrade. Cute, huh?
THE NEWS STORY:
My last few 5 Books posts have had ties to recent news stories. So how on earth can I tie tardigrades to the news?
Well, it turns out, they have been in the news recently! Here’s the story (your students are going to love this!):
Scientists have a growing list of emojis they would like to see recognized internationally via the Emojipedia (this link will be popular with students, too!). Each year, scientists request new emojis to help promote conservation and awareness of different animals, conservation, and scientific concepts.
In December 2023, scientists’ most-requested new emojis were sea star, flatworms, and – you guessed it – tardigrades!
You can read more about this story here.
FUN FACTS FOR STUDENTS ABOUT TARDIGRADES
Honestly, these adorable tardigrades already have me wanting to create a “Microorganisms” Library Lesson for elementary. Microbiology is super-interesting, plus there are plenty of applications for lessons about germs and the spread of viruses. All in due time!
In the meantime, you can dazzle your students with these fun tardigrade facts:
- Tardigrades have eight legs.
- Tardigrades are among the only animals known to survive outer space.
- They are part of the Arthropod phylum, which also includes insects, arachnids, and crustaceans.
- They can go decades without food or water.
- They have a special mouthpart called a bucco pharyngeal apparatus. It allows tardigrades to suck nutrients from plants and microorganisms.
- Tardigrades live in water and moss all over the world. If you have a microscope at home, collect a drop of pond water or moss and see if you can find a tardigrade!
Want to use the “Microorganisms” display poster above? Download it here:
- edit in Canva (open this link) in your Canva account, then go to FILE – MAKE A COPY)
- download a copy in your Google Drive — This PDF is not editable. Google messes up the Canva formatting too much, so I flattened the poster. If you want to edit the poster, use the Canva link above. Canva accounts are free for teachers and school librarians. If you don’t have a Canva account yet, you are really missing out!
FIVE BOOKS ABOUT MICROORGANISMS
Even the youngest students will enjoy learning about microorganisms! I’ve gathered a collection of 5 books about microorganisms that your students are going to love!
All the following titles received at least two positive professional reviews on Titlewave, with some earning starred reviews. We’ll start with the adorable tardigrades book I mentioned at the top of this post.
Author: Sandra Fay
Illustrator: Sandra Fay
Copyright: 9 Jan 2024
Genre: picture book, retelling
Setting: a cozy drop of water
Recommended for: PreK - Grade 3
Themes: The Three Little Pigs, tardigrades, microscopic life, mix of fact and fiction, STEM, exploring the world, micro-animals, water bears, moss piglets
Protagonist: 3 tardigrades
Starred reviews: Publishers Weekly
Pages: 40
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Gavin, Colin, and Doug live on a cozy little drop of H2O until one day, their mother tells them it’s time for them to grow up and leave home. In search of the perfect place to settle down, the three little tardigrades (also known as “moss piglets”) journey to an underwater ice cave, an erupting volcano, and even the moon! They can survive under extreme conditions, but can they avoid the Big Hairy Wolf Spider. . .?
Humor and scientific facts about these resilient microscopic creatures come together to remix a beloved story–with an unexpected twist (and tons of laughs)!
Includes material at the end of the book with detailed information about tardigrades, a glossary of terms from the book, and more science for eager young readers.
Author: Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Copyright: 17 Nov 2020
Genre: informational picture book
Recommended for: PreS - Grade 5
Themes: microorganisms, microscopic life, biology, insects, arthropods, monsters
Starred reviews: no starred reviews
Pages: 32
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
You may not know it…but you share your home with monsters!
Some of these monsters are so tiny that they were barely recognized, even by scientists, until the invention of the electron microscope. Although they may seem like aliens from another planet, these miniscule creatures live right alongside us. And just about all of them are harmless—and some are even helpful!
In his signature cut- and torn-paper style, Steve Jenkins shows readers that—seen up close—these pesky critters are as fantastic looking as any creature on Earth. This Caldecott Honor–winning duo also uses informational graphics and diagrams to demonstrate just how big the critters are, where they live, and how many there might be in your home right this second!
My note: Tiny Monsters does include tardigrades, along with sand fleas, deer mites, marine scale worms, eyelash mites, thistle mantises, plus 18 more.
Author: Jason Chin
Illustrator: Jason Chin
Copyright: 13 Dec 2022
Genre: informational picture book
Setting: zooms in on very small organisms and cells
Recommended for: Grades K-7
Themes: human body, microbiology, cells, atoms, STEM, science, small size
Protagonist: brown-skinned little girl in a wheelchair
Starred reviews: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, and SLJ
Pages: 40
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
In Your Place in the Universe, Jason Chin zoomed outward, from our planet, solar system, and galaxy to the outer reaches of the observable universe. Now, Chin reverses course, zooming in past our skin to our cells, molecules, and atoms, all the way down to particles so small we can’t yet even measure them.
Like its companion, The Universe in You is a mind-boggling adventure that makes complex science accessible and enjoyable to readers of any age.
Impeccably researched, wholly engrossing, and with extensive backmatter for additional learning, The Universe in You is another knockout from the award-winning creator of Redwoods, Grand Canyon, and other distinguished works of nonfiction for young readers.
Author: Gail Jarrow
Copyright: 27 Sep 2022
Genre: nonfiction, history, medicine
Setting: American South, 1800s-early 1900s
Recommended for: Grades 5+
Themes: microscopic organisms, microbiology, parasites, 19th Century, early 20th Century, hookworms, STEM, medicine, US history, gross, zoology, public health crisis, discrimination
Protagonist: most people in the book are white (at the time--due to segregation and discrimination--medical treatment of hookworms leaned toward treating white patients; this is mentioned briefly in the book)
Starred reviews: Booklist
Awards: YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults-Nominee, 2023
Pages: 160
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Tiny creatures lurk in the warm soil of the American South, waiting to attack a human victim. Once they invade through bare skin, the parasites travel deep into the gut of the unsuspecting host, where they suck blood like a vampire.
Hookworm takes center stage in YALSA-winner Gail Jarrow’s third book of the Medical Fiascoes series. In this exciting medical mystery, she reveals how a parasite slowly drained the energy and life from millions of southerners. Can early twentieth-century scientists and doctors uncover its secrets, fight back, and cure the victims?
Prepare to meet the American Murderer…
Author: Marc ter Horst; translated by Laura Watkinson
Illustrator: Wendy Panders
Copyright: 8 Nov 2022
Genre: nonfiction
Recommended for: PreK - Grade 3
Themes: microbiology, viruses, pandemics, illness, human body, disease, vaccines, world history, personal hygiene, 1918 flu pandemic, SARS, AIDS, Ebola, Covid-19, wearing masks, quarantine, fake news
Starred reviews: no starred reviews
Pages: 138
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
If we didn’t know it before, we certainly know it now: Viruses can be powerful—so powerful, in fact, that they can hold the world in their grip for months at a time. But what exactly is a virus? Where do they come from and what do they do to our bodies? How do they spread, and what can we do to protect ourselves?
Author Marc ter Horst tackles these questions with playfulness and humor, while Wendy Panders’ quirky and enlightening illustrations bring the text to life. Snot, Sneezes, and Super-Spreaders is an accessible and engaging guide to help young readers understand our current world, with information on:
- Pandemics, addressed in an age-appropriate way that goes beyond doom and gloom.
- The value and importance of vaccines for addressing viral diseases.
- Fascinating, icky diseases of the past—and those that still hang around today.
- The science behind how to protect ourselves and our communities from current and future viruses.
More articles for kids about microorganisms:
- “Operation Ouch | Body Bacteria” by Operation Ouch (<6 min) – Two scientists make cheese using bacteria from one of their toes, belly button, and armpit. Very cute! Students will laugh (and maybe be a little grossed out) at this one!
- “Meet the Microanimals” by SciShow Kids (4 min) – Includes three microanimals: tardigrades, mites, and nematodes.
More “5 Books” lists + display posters
