This week's Brainstorm brings you some nonfiction reads for you science nerds (and the not-so-nerdy). Whether readers are serious science fans, reluctant science studiers, or voracious collectors of random science facts, there's something for everyone in this selection of science reads today. Click on the titles to see my full review including any content notes/trigger warnings.
All Charged Up (Big Ideas That Changed the World, #5) by Don Brown
In a nutshell: A graphic novel history of humans harnessing electricity over the past couple hundred years.
More info: The nutshell says it all.
Extra thoughts: The former science teacher in me gave this all the stars. It is excellently done, and I appreciate that Brown did further research and included scientists involved in breakthroughs who were often left out in the past because they were people of color. (The narrator character of the graphic novel is one such Bangla inventor whose discoveries led the way to radios.)
Target readers: Electricity Studiers, Invention/Inventor Studiers, Graphic Novel Fans, Curious Readers, Random Fact Sponges, Reluctant Nonfiction Readers, Middle Grade Readers
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott
In a nutshell: A graphic novel that looks at how the Internet actually works, how electricity is produced, where drinkable water can be found and why that is a concern.
More info: The nutshell says it all.
Extra thoughts: This is like a 'How it Works' book for YA and adults (there's a reason they had David Macaulay do the blurb on the front). Nott goes beyond Macaulay's type of books in that he also explores social and ethical issues related to these systems. It’s a thought-provoking read in that Nott points out how these systems aren't exactly fair in their distribution because of how they were usually laid down in the easiest ways possible which meant following certain older paths (often determined by socio-economic status). My favorite part of the book was how it breaks down how the internet works in an easy to understand way. It helps take away some of the nebulous terminology and allows readers to picture how it really works.
Target readers: How It Works Fans, Curious Readers, Reluctant Nonfiction Readers, Graphic Novel Fans, Thought-Provoking Read Fans, YA & Adult Readers
In the Waves: My Quest to Solve the Mystery of a Civil War Submarine by Rachel Lance
In a nutshell: A medical doctor with the US Navy tackles the unsolved mystery of how the men in the Civil War submarine HL Hunley died.
More info: Rachel Lance is a medical doctor with the US Navy who was researching affects of underwater explosions at Duke for her PhD when her advisor brought up the mystery of the HL Hunley. The HL Hunley was a Confederate submarine that sank during the US Civil War. The final location was uncovered in the late 20th century. It had obviously sustained external damage, but when the sub was opened, all of the crew members were found seemingly serenely positioned at their posts. Rachel Lance sought to discover what could possibly have killed the sailors and left them at their posts as opposed to strewn about by an explosion or clamoring to open a hatch.
Extra thoughts: An absolutely fascinating bit of scientific forensic research with just the right amount of historical background on submarines and the Hunley specifically and scientific information easy for the lay person to grasp.
Target readers: Mythbusters-Type-Show/Read Fans, True Crime Fans, Unsolved Mystery Fans, Science Fans, History Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)
Moving the Millers' Minnie Moore Mine Mansion: A True Story by Dave Eggers, ill. by Júlia Sardà
In a nutshell: A picture book history of a mansion that was built in Idaho for an English silver mine owner's new wife, and how she eventually had it moved so she could raise pigs.
More info: The nutshell says it all.
Extra thoughts: This is a very creatively told true story of a big house that got moved several miles without the aid of any electronics. It was an impressive piece of engineering for the time period! Also pick this one up to examine Eggers' engaging nonfiction writing and Sardà's unique illustration style.
Target readers: Crazy But True Story Fans, Random Fact Sponges, Simple Machines Studiers, History Fans, Engaging Writing Fans, Art Lovers, Picture Book Readers (though of interest to Middle Grade too)
Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Discovery Sparks a Scientific Investigation by Maria Parrott-Ryan
In a nutshell: Learn about recent discoveries of mammals who glow under UV light.
More info: Maria Parrott-Ryan introduces readers to a small group of scientists in Wisconsin who discovered that northern flying squirrels were biofluorescent (glowed in UV light) and explains how they went about confirming their discovery and where their research has led them in the few years since then.
Extra thoughts: It isn't often that books for kids get to be about something that was discovered within the past decade and has numerous unanswered questions to be further explored. And who can resist something glowing in the dark?
Target readers: Curious Readers, Random Fact Sponges, Budding Scientists, Animal Lovers, Science Fans, Weird but True Fans, Middle Grade Readers (interesting enough for YA too)
The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: A Memoir by Steffanie Strathdee & Thomas Patterson
In a nutshell: An epidemiologist shares about her husband’s fight for his life when he contracted a antibiotics-resistant super bug.
More info: Husband and wife public health researchers and professors Thomas Patterson and Steffanie Strathdee were taking a break from their work with AIDS research to vacation in Egypt over Thanksgiving of 2015 when Tom suddenly came down with what they originally thought was a little food poisoning. As his condition continued to worsen, they soon realized this was no ordinary stomach bug, and after Tom exhausted the resources at the clinic in Egypt he was medevaced to Germany where it was discovered he had a serious case of pancreatitis and a pseudocyst, but even worse, an antibiotics resistant superbug. As their network of medical friends pulled together their resources, Tom was flown to UCSD's hospital to receive treatment closer to home by a doctor who had worked with drug-resistant bacteria before. But Tom's condition continued to decline, and eventually Steff put on her epidemiologist hat and started researching other possible treatments for her husband. She stumbled across phage therapy, and brought it to the medical team working with her husband. They decided to see if they could give it a shot, since Tom had no other options left. As scientists, Steff knew that Tom would at least like to contribute to research even in his death if it didn't work. And phage therapy, while used in Europe in the past century, in the US had not been tried on human patients at all.
Extra thoughts: This was a very interesting look at the real problem drug-resistant bacteria are becoming, and cutting edge solutions that are being explored. The concept of phage therapy and its potential are fascinating, and it’s good Tom's case has opened the doors to further research. Because she is not only a scientist but also a professor, Steff does a great job of breaking down the science in ways that are pretty easy to understand. I appreciated that Steff and Tom admit in the epilogue that he is alive largely in thanks to the privilege of their knowledge, positions, economic status, and connections. I think it is important that they shared that realization, but equally important for readers to know that they are leveraging that privilege for others now.
Target readers: Medical Memoir Fans, Epidemiologist Story Fans, Crazy True Story Fans, Cutting Edge Science Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)
Your One and Only Heart by Rajani LaRocca, ill. by Lauren Paige Conrad
In a nutshell: Free verse poems introduce readers to the heart and its simple but complex workings.
More info: The nutshell says it all.
Extra thoughts: A great introduction to an extremely vital organ by a fantastic author who is also an MD. The main text is simple enough for lower grade students, while the back content adds enough details for even middle schoolers to get good information out of this.
Target readers: Human Body Studiers, Curious Readers, Science Fans, How It Works Fans, Picture Book Readers
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