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Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes | September 1, 2017

by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton (Candlewick Press)

I first came across this picture book as a potential comparative title for a forthcoming nonfiction work on our list. Endpapers depicting the cellular components of microbes set the tone for a wonderfully textured, beautiful, informative read. The text opens with a gentle introduction to microbes: creatures invisible to the naked eye, “so tiny that millions could fit on an ant’s antenna.” From this point on, Davies employs a series of illuminating comparisons to convey the scale, roles, and omnipresence of microbes in our daily lives. The clever interior design accentuates the information expressed, with point size that alternatively increases and shrinks in accordance with the way microbial size and volume are relatively conveyed. Sutton’s warm, accessible palette and inventive compositions make for an especially fun read; microbes are illustrated close-up and far away throughout—alternatively distinguishable under a microscope, and imperceptible in outdoor scenes of human activity.

Striking, creative, and rich with information, this terrific package is a nonthreatening introduction to microbiology for all ages!

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