Patient Zero: Solving the Mysteries of Deadly Epidemics

Gr 5–8—Seven epidemics are fully explained here, starting with the Black Plague and ending with AIDS. The author gives each disease a human touch by introducing a perceived "ground zero" person who might have been responsible for spreading each disease. For example, New York City's Mary Mallon, aka Typhoid Mary, cuts quite a tragic figure. In part because of lax government supervision, she ended up dying while under forced quarantine. The book reads like thriller, with gripping accounts of how these diseases affected people. A sense of drama permeates this volume: there are mysteries to be solved here, and the fate of the world depends on the answers. Cartoon illustrations interspersed throughout break up the text, and several pages feature an arresting red background. Extensive source notes make this a fine source for report writers and any young epidemiology enthusiasts. An engaging and informative read.—Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI