It's back to school time for me! As a substitute teacher, I am never quite sure what is in store for me when I go to work in the morning. And sometimes I can get a lot of reading done! Today was not an exception. The first period I was there was a "planning period," which is essential for the classroom teacher, but pretty much free time for a substitute.
I had reading material, and other things to work on, but this book caught my eye:
When Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS
This is a Scholastic book, so one can assume it is aimed at young reader. Sometimes I prefer non-fiction for young adults, as it is written, well, simpler. The books are also generally more interesting than those for adults, because it is harder to keep younger readers attention if the subject starts to bore them.
Anyway, I am fascinated by epidemics, so this book caught my eye. I really enjoyed the sections on the plague and small pox. I learned a few things (the derivation of the name smallpox, among other things), and thought some of the points the author brought up could inspire some spirited discussions. On the other hand, I did skip a lot of the AIDS section, having already read "And the Band Played On," which some say is the definitive history of AIDS. The author notes that he relied heavily on that book for his history of AIDS.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any reader middle-school or above who has an interest in plagues or epidemics and how they affected the world.