Germ Hunter: A Story about Louis Pasteur (Creative Minds Biography)
Grade 3-6-This novel-like biography recounts Pasteur's life from his childhood as a  tanner's son, through his stormy schooling and early work with chemistry, to his monumental  discovery that germs are the cause of many kinds of illnesses. Although Alphin explains the  science in easily understood terms, the book is more about the man than his work. However, the  author considers how Pasteur might have felt about his scientific struggles and his family  tragedies without carefully documenting the sources. This makes the material more readable, but  not useful for reports. A short glossary, a perfunctory bibliography, and an adequate index are  appended. Verstraete's black-and-white paintings are merely decorative. Beverley Birch's Louis  Pasteur: Father of Modern Medicine (Blackbirch, 2001) has informative color illustrations and  focuses more on Pasteur's discoveries than his life. It is a better choice for motivated students  who are not intimidated by some scientific vocabulary. Because Alphin's book looks and reads like  a story, it is less intimidating and is a good choice for reluctant readers.Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UTCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.