Invisible Allies: Microbes That Shape Our Lives (Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards)) (Hardcover)

by Jeanette Farrell (Author)
Key Phrases: cacao tree, cacao beans, cheese makers, Mother Noella, United States, Jim Pitts (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 6 Up–While Farrell's Invisible Enemies (Farrar, 1998) presented the struggle against disease-causing microbes, this lively and engaging companion offers intriguing insight into those that play a more helpful role in shaping our lives. The variety necessary for human survival is simply astonishing, and the author presents many of them in captivating detail. The book begins with a brief introduction to and history of these organisms. Chapters are devoted to the historical importance of food preservation and the use of microbes in producingcheese, bread, and chocolate. Information on the microbes necessary to digest such a meal and then to decompose it is included. The final chapter provides an exhaustive description of a waste-treatment plant. Complementary black-and-white photographs and illustrations are included throughout the text. This is a fascinating read, as well as a source of useful information for reports.–Maren Ostergard, Bellevue Regional Library, WA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Gr. 6-9. The author of Invisible Enemies (1998), Farrell now offers a fascinating, broad-ranging and imminently readable book on the beneficial roles of microbes. After stating some amazing facts about microbes and advising readers against "running, somewhat futilely, for a bar of soap," the introduction provides a vivid picture of Antony van Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microorganisms in 1676. The chapters that follow consider beneficial microbes in the production of bread, cheese, and chocolate as well as their vital role in the gut, where they break down certain foods, kill harmful microbes, and enable certain genes in the intestines to maximize digestion. Finally, Farrell explains the process by which microbes dispose of human waste in sewage treatment plants, noting that they are also used to clean up oil spills and toxins in the environments. Illustrations include photos as well as interesting archival material. Without talking down to her audience or hyping the grosser aspects of the subject, Farrell presents what is known about beneficial microbes and acknowledges the ongoing study of these amazing life-forms. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374336083
• ISBN-13: 978-0374336080
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #364,360 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Book about Microbes! , June 21, 2008

By	M. Lopez "mom_in_Austin" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My 10 year old son came across this book at our local library and checked it out. We've been reading it together for the past two days and found it very interesting (and not too difficult for my 10 yr old to understand although I had to help him with latin names for various bacteria). The bits of history mixed with science made the book fun & interesting to read :-)

5.0 out of 5 stars Invisible Allies, May 8, 2008

By	P. Ciccone (Rochester Hills, MI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found this book immensely interesting, actually I'm still reading a library copy, and just came online to order one for me, my sister, and my dad - my mom will like it too! If your into how fermented food works, it's fascinating. We truly live in amazing world. I'm going to get her other book too!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Invisible Allies, March 7, 2008

By	M. Boehm "nsg girl" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was so boring that I couldn't get past the second chapter. I thought it would be about the good microbes in the human body and in the first two chapters, all it talked about was cheese and bread. I would not recomend this book to anyone.