First the bad news.  There are ugly diseases, from Ebola virus to bubonic plague, still lurking in many parts of the world.  The good news is that the hard work of “disease detectives” can keep most of us safe from microbial invasion most of the time.   But don’t expect to be reading lists of facts and studying graphs and charts in this book.  Rather, you’ll read of the race against death in the middle of winter that was the first Iditarod sled dog race.  Or the chilling tale of a Zaire school teacher whose night sweats and rash were the beginning of a horrifying death by Ebola virus. 

Whether this book is used for reference, health class instruction, as a guide to a career in science, or just to read, it has riviting stories.  But be warned, the descriptions of the diseases are graphic, and there is a text box that tells exactly how to prevent HIV infection.  Though young readers would love the Iditarod story, the HIV information, deatils of bubonic plague, Ebola virus, the black death, and other diseases are frightening.  But from the introduction, with homeless men turning blue on the streets of New York, to the chapter on bioterrorism, Outbreak is never dull.