Murderous Mosquitoes

This book is part of the “Bugged Out: The World’s Most Dangerous Bugs” book series; there are currently five other books in this series. This book sparked my interest from the very first page and the suspense continued throughout the entire book. It begins with the story of a nurse vacationing in Ghana and her ignoring a small mosquito bite she got on her leg while walking through the forest. Later you learn about her struggle to survuve and the trauma her body went throughwhile trying to recover from malaria. After the opening story, the book takes the reader into high-interest and lesser known facts about mosquitoes and the various diseases they may carry. The book is filled with fabulous pictures and uses those pictures to explain some of the scientific vocabulary found in the book. After reading this short book, I found myself checking mosquito-borne disease facts on the Internet and even exploring the linked websites on the last page. It is truly a remarkably well-written nonfiction book and would make a great addition to any elementary collection. – Amy Hubschman

Bug fans and biology aces are going to be thrilled by these pages and gain a little more respect for a very tiny insect.

Mosquitoes rule in this book, but it’s not their harmless biology which takes the spotlight. Mosquitoes can be very dangerous and should not be underestimated. After a quick Table of Contents to help young researchers find sought after information more quickly, the first pages dive into the story of a woman, who was bitten by a mosquito and soon fought for her life as she battled malaria. The book grabs attention right away, and not the kind which more sensitive readers will appreciate. But then, malaria is not a nice disease.

While a mosquitoes’ habitat, basic biology and living facts are explained, it’s the diseases which they carry and the dangers that come with it, which keeps these pages turning. Each page holds about one paragraph of text, which is laid out for readers who have a pretty good handle on reading (ages 7 and up). It’s written in an interesting way, keeping boredom at bay while bringing across very interesting facts. Colorful and clear photographs accompany every page, allowing readers to get a glimpse at the reality and helping the information gain more clarity. To spruce things up, explanations as well as extra tidbits are sprinkled among the photos.

At the end of the book, a few more diseases not explored more closely are mentioned, followed by a more detailed glossary of the terminology, and ending with an index, bibliography, hints of where to find more information, and a website which discusses mosquitoes.