Power to the Parasites!

Gr 5 Up–Wood, a parasitologist, walks readers through the good, bad, and ugly in this nonfiction book about parasites. The book opens with an introduction in which the author details how she first became interested in and ultimately chose to spend her career studying parasites. Part I largely shares information about specific parasites in nature and their host animals. Part II brings parasites up close and personal as Wood details the intersection of parasites and humans (specifically through a look at the Black Death), and parasites in food and pets. The book’s humor makes it very readable, even though the content is at times technical and somewhat disturbing. Monochrome illustrations help readers with visualization. Balance is an essential element of this text, as the author does not shy away from explaining how parasites can be bad, but are also good in certain situations. Although sexual or asexual reproduction is not described in detail, the reproduction of parasites is mentioned. These may be topics that will elicit questions, making the book more appropriate for middle grade students. Throughout each chapter, important vocabulary is noted in bold print, and complex scientific words are given phonetic pronunciations. A glossary is included.