Unseen Jungle: The Microbes That Secretly Control Our World (Hardcover) — By Eleanor Spicer Rice, PhD - Illustrations by Rob Wilson

Every year, librarians and staff at The New York Public Library — which as a public system is the second largest library in the United States and the fourth largest in the world — select noteworthy new books for readers of all ages and recommend them as our its Best Books of the Year. The list continue the Library’s century-old tradition of recommending the best-loved titles published for children and young adults each year. Unseen Jungle: The Microbes That Secretly Control Our World was picked as one of these best books of the year for 2023. Presents the behind-the-scenes microbial influence over familiar creatures and environments in all its sometimes gory glory, with enough detail to satisfy young readers’ curiosity as well as their delight in all things icky, but not so much as to become overwhelming. . . . the author’s palpable excitement for the topic makes an already-fascinating subject even more engaging. An entertaining and informative exploration of a hidden world. — Kirkus R