Faulk, Michelle. Case of the Infected Tick.

Faulk, Michelle.  Case of the Infected Tick.   Enslow  2013  48p   $23.93  978-0-7660-3948-3  series: Body System Disease Investigations.  ms     VG  

Middle-school students who enjoy investigative books will appreciate this new title featuring diseases that affect our body systems.  Students meet Agent Annie Biotica, who is a Disease Scene Investigator.  Her job is to help solve health crime scenes where microbes are the suspects.  To get students ready to help her solve these health issues, the author presents information on the human circulatory system and the human heart.  Agent Annie Biotica solves five cases dealing with the following: infected ticks and lyme disease; dirty needles and HIV and STD’s; mosquito bites and malaria; heart disease and rheumatic fever; and microbial and Epstein-Barr.  Every case includes the crime, clues, suspect, evidence, verdict, and justice.  To get students involved, three more cases are presented for students to solve, with answers provided. 

The author includes colorful graphics and photographs, a fun-to-read format, a glossary of terms, recommended books and internet addresses, and an index. 

Schools who participate in Accelerated Reader will be happy to provide an existing quiz to students (AR Quiz # 156534). Each title in this series of five (as of this review) presents real-life scenarios featuring infections.  Readers will experience the scientific method that medical teams and scientists use to decipher symptoms and lab test results.      

Tick-borne diseases, Communicable diseases            –Charleen Forba-Mayer