The Deadliest Diseases Then and Now by Deborah Hopkinson - OPTIONAL

 The Deadliest Diseases Then and Now by Deborah Hopkinson, 224 pages. NON-FICTION. Scholastic, 2021. $8

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content PG; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Readers may be surprised to learn that deadly pandemics have always been a part of history. Hopkinson covers how pandemics were treated, their effect, and what we have learned from history, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The book is well researched with pictures throughout. There is a glossary and some activities at the back. I wanted to like this book more than I did. It dragged for me and I wish there would have been more stories to increase the urgency and engagement. The facts seemed too sterile and clinical for me, though highly relevant. 

Michelle in the Middle