Explains how scientists study-and learn how to predict and counter-disease outbreaksIn six parts, Cherrix frames six different outbreaks as compelling mysteries to be solved. "The Case of the No-Name Virus" takes readers to the U.S. Southwest of the 1990s, where observations by dendrochronologists who learned from A:shiwi people and medical data from the Korean War enable an "elite corps of epidemiologists at the CDC" to crack the case and prevent further spread of the hantavirus. Next, readers travel back to the filthy London of the mid-1800s to follow John Snow as he tracks a cholera outbreak to its source, pioneering techniques that are still used today. After giving historical background on the 1918 flu, the text follows scientists over many subsequent decades as they try to learn enough about the outbreak to prevent such a pandemic from happening again. The next section covers the globally coordinated effort (by both scientists and laypeople) to defeat the "ancient enemy" smallpox. Community involvement takes center stage in the documentation of the role activists played in raising awareness and even shaping drug trials during the HIV/AIDS outbreak of the 1980s and '90s. The final section chronicles how the unprecedentedly fast development of the Covid-19 vaccine came about thanks to years of earlier work. The straightforward language (including impressive scientific explanations) and human-focused narrative structure make for a readable book, bolstered by sidebars and extensive backmatter for credibility.Optimistic, informative, and inspiring for future scientists. (bibliography, endnotes, index)(Nonfiction. 10-18)

Gr 6 Up— A fascinating dive into the history of epidemiology. Using cornerstone cases, Cherrix explores the origins of the study of viruses and how scientists track down outbreaks and try to prevent global catastrophes. Members of the Epidemic Intelligence Service investigate a rodent-transmitted disease that largely impacted the Navajo community in the Four Corners region of the United States in 1993. A doctor and a minister hunt down the source of a cholera outbreak in 1854, and their investigation process lays down the foundation for modern-day virus hunters. The book also covers the 1918 Spanish Flu and a scientist's quest to resurrect it; the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how medical activism brought awareness to the public, which resulted in life-changing action; and of course, COVID-19. The narrative can be dry at times, but the sidebars, diagrams, and photos help sustain interest. Most impacting are the individual stories of the many people whose lives were tragically changed because of once-unknown diseases. Cherrix emphasizes how pinpointing the source of these epidemics was often achieved through the group effort of scientists, doctors, spiritual leaders, and communities. She also reminds readers that many of these viruses flourish in places that have been severely impacted by climate change. Warmer environments, population density, and changes in animal migrations all factor into how diseases spread. Back matter includes bibliography, end notes, and an index. VERDICT An extensive, accessible, and relevant exploration of viruses and the people whose life's work to study them have changed the course of humanity.— Shelley M. Diaz