Viruses aren't like anything else you can see under a microscope. Is a virus a living thing or something else? Readers explore the answer to this question as they examine viruses, learning what they look like and how they affect us. As readers discover important facts about how viruses multiply and what sicknesses they cause, they expand their knowledge of essential parts of science curricula, including beginner biology concepts.

Fungi play an important part in our world. Some fungi are mushrooms that can be cooked into delicious meals, but others are poisonous. It's important to be able to tell them apart before eating them. Readers gain this valuable knowledge as they explore what fungi look like to the human eye and under the microscope.

"More than 38 million people around the world live with HIV/AIDS. For decades, scientists have been studying AIDS and the HIV virus that causes it. This fascinating book describes its emergence as a new disease and the reasons why it took as long as it did to find a treatment. Find out how, thanks to new treatments and technologies, this disease that was once almost unstoppable can now be effectively treated and, in some cases, cured."--

"Malaria is an ancient disease caused by a parasite passed through the bites of infected mosquitoes. It is only now--through extensive scientific research--that malaria can be prevented, treated, and cured. This fascinating book examines the difficulties malaria still presents and how science is working on a "zero malaria plan" that will one day eradicate the disease entirely."--

"The flu is so common that people don't often see it as a deadly and debilitating disease. Despite the advances made by science, each year 5 million people worldwide get the flu, and thousands die from complications. This fascinating book sheds light on what the flu is, and the role of medical technology in diagnosing it and developing treatments such as drugs and vaccines."--

"Like many viruses, smallpox is highly contagious. It's also dreadful, deadly, and thanks to microscopes and modern technology--now officially eradicated. This fascinating book explains how a concerted effort to produce a vaccine and distribute it around the world helped eliminate the deadly scourge by 1980."--

"This timely book follows the emergence of COVID-19 in December 2019, and describes how, within a few short months, it transformed the way the world was living and working. The first major world pandemic in more than 100 years brought new testing and technology to the forefront, resulting in the fastest-ever vaccine creation."--