The Plague

Gr 5–8—Serving as solid alternatives to relevant volumes of Chelsea House's "Deadly Diseases and Epidemics" series for younger or less-able readers, these profiles focus on the appearances of selected pandemics through history and the development of effective treatments, from vaccines to public health measures. Aside from the cover photos for Smallpox and The Plague, the overall approach downplays scary pathological specifics in favor of thrilling notes, such as a reference in Smallpox to "insectpox, which melts the insides of caterpillars. Sometimes the pox of other animals can also infect humans." Influenza includes a useful overview of how viruses in general work, and in Cholera, Grayson-Jones points to climate change as a major risk factor. Many of the photos are generic space-fillers, but time lines, side discussions, and adequate leads to further information provide helpful enhancements.