The Invisible World of Germs
Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Geraldine Sy and Ana Seixas
The Secrets of the Universe
Dr Mike Goldsmith, illustrated by Adam Quest and Ana Seixas
Oxford Children’s Books

These are the first two in a new small format non-fiction series Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds. Full of fascinating information, it was written in consultation with one expert in the field (Alan Redford of Liverpool University) and contains easily digestible infographics, photos and dialogue boxes in addition to the explanations, and in each chapter there’s a ‘Speak Like a Scientist’ feature that provides readers with key terminology. If you want to discover what germs are, something about their history, key scientists and other ‘germ heroes’, how germs are transmitted, how our natural defences work,

the affects of medicines on germs, ponder the questions ‘Will there ever be a world without germs?’ and what might be the future of germs, then this engaging little book is definitely for you. It’s also one to add to KS2 class collections.

I was equally impressed by The Secrets of the Universe, this one being written by a doctor of astrophysics in consultation with Cambridge University cosmologist Sunny Vagnozzi. Again the writing style is engaging and lively and there are the same key features as The Invisible World of Germs – infographics, photographs and cartoons and most important the key questions such as What is the universe?; how was it discovered”; what are the important findings relating to the universe and who were the scientists responsible? …

how big is the universe and what is our place therein? are explored in bite-sized, easily digestible chunks. Find out about galaxies, gravity, the Big Bang, dark energy, consider the possibilities of life existing elsewhere in the universe and even of other universes in this exciting introduction to a mind-boggling topic that science-loving children will relish. 

Both books have a final glossary and index.