Reviewed by CBC Reviewer
N/A
From the media's fascination with vampires to the history of blood in medicine and magic, this book will enthrall readers. And there's no lack of hard science—scanning electron micrographs of blood cells, autopsy photo of a brain of a meningitis victim, organs, systems, and even animals that use their blood as a weapon, all add to the value of this book.
A reader who goes from beginning (that Mesopotanian goddess who sucks the blood of babies) to end (in which the persistent myth of vampires is discussed) will find a lot of science in between. Teachers will also find fascinating excerpts to use with standard curricular topics—the story of Leeuwenhoek, how George Washington was literally bled to death by doctors, a lucid description of the physiology of the common cold. There are multicultural references to blood in history and religion that are balanced, accurate, and easy to integrate. The bibliography is short but the index extensive. This NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book won't sit idle on a classroom or library shelf. Teachers might be wise to keep an extra copy for personal use.
Review posted on 1/17/2013
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