What do you think?
Rate this book
Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us
Award winner Albert Marrin answers the "What's eating you?" - literally
From nonfiction master Albert Marrin, here is the shocking story of the longest running war of all man versus parasite. From fleas, ticks, lice, and bedbugs to worms, mites, leeches, and maggots, Marrin explains what parasites are, how they invade our bodies, and their effects for good or ill. At their best, parasites have saved limbs and lives; at their worst, they've been responsible for the deaths of billions of people and altered the course of human history. With photographs and illustrations throughout, this exploration of the hidden world exposes the creatures responsible for making our skin crawl - since the beginning of time.
From nonfiction master Albert Marrin, here is the shocking story of the longest running war of all man versus parasite. From fleas, ticks, lice, and bedbugs to worms, mites, leeches, and maggots, Marrin explains what parasites are, how they invade our bodies, and their effects for good or ill. At their best, parasites have saved limbs and lives; at their worst, they've been responsible for the deaths of billions of people and altered the course of human history. With photographs and illustrations throughout, this exploration of the hidden world exposes the creatures responsible for making our skin crawl - since the beginning of time.
- GenresScienceNonfiction
128 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 2011
4 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Albert Marrin
58 books82 followersAlbert Marrin is a historian and the author of more than twenty nonfiction books for young people. He has won various awards for his writing, including the 2005 James Madison Book Award and the 2008 National Endowment for Humanities Medal. In 2011, his book Flesh and Blood So Cheap was a National Book Award Finalist. Marrin is the Chairman of the History Department at New York's Yeshiva University.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 6, 2022
Well first and foremost (and for me very much delightfully), the basic set-up of Albert Marrin's 2011 Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us is both visually pleasant and also wonderfully young reader friendly, with a large font size for Marrin's featured text (and which in my humble opinion definitely makes the author's rather information heavy writing much much easier on the eyes than if the words were printed in a tiny and squashed fashion), a very good use of adequate white space, frequent pictures, diagrams and a bibliographical section that not only has chapter divisions (and suggestions for both younger and older readers) but also lists not only books but also a decent list of internet resources. And indeed, my only (and very) slight annoyance and complaint regarding the general layout for Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us is namely that considering the brightly coloured book title cover image, it to and for me is a bit of a potential visual detriment to have ALL of the included photographs and diagrams for Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us appear completely and utterly in black-and-white, that in particular young readers just moving on and up from picture books, might well feel a bit visually cheated by the complete lack of any colour whatsoever within the pages of Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us (especially since the book cover image does indeed show parasites sporting really bright hues).
Now as a non fiction tome on parasites (human, animal, plant, and with Albert Marrin also showing that parasites are everywhere and that even parasites themselves will generally also have their own sets of parasites, which biologists call hyperparasites) The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us is meticulously researched, engagingly, educationally written and also seems to be informationally accurate and up-to-date with regard to current, contemporary parasitology understanding and knowledge (by 2011 standards of course). And Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us is equally and most fortunately thoroughly and decently enough presented with regard to the required information and details without becoming overwhelming and without Albert Marrin textually showing off by using too much biological, scientific jargon, that yes indeed, Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us provides a wonderful general introduction to parasites and to parasitology for both older children from about the age of nine or ten onwards but also in my humble opinion for interested adults desiring a concise, extensive but not overly detailed textual representation covering what one needs to know regarding parasites (including how our understanding regarding parasitical pests and how to deal with and approach them has changed over the centuries, and how in centuries past, many parasites were much more common and much worse due to a generally bad and insufficient regard for basic hygiene).
But even though Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us has most definitely been a solid and also enlightening four star reading experience for me, I would probably not actively consider recommending this book unless potential readers are actually and specifically interested in learning about parasites (and in fact, I only read Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us in the first place because the Miscellaneous Club of the Children’s Literature Group is featuring Creepy Crawlies as its August topic). For while Roger Marrin does manage to keep Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us relatively free of goriness, horror and holds back from absolutely disgusting textual portrayals and representations of parasites, parasitical infections and epidemics, well, ONLY parasites is the topic of Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us, and due to this, what is thematically written and shown by Roger Marrin is of course and by its very nature rather disgusting, and dealing mostly with disease etc. simply because parasites often if not even usually do cause and spread disease.
Now as a non fiction tome on parasites (human, animal, plant, and with Albert Marrin also showing that parasites are everywhere and that even parasites themselves will generally also have their own sets of parasites, which biologists call hyperparasites) The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us is meticulously researched, engagingly, educationally written and also seems to be informationally accurate and up-to-date with regard to current, contemporary parasitology understanding and knowledge (by 2011 standards of course). And Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us is equally and most fortunately thoroughly and decently enough presented with regard to the required information and details without becoming overwhelming and without Albert Marrin textually showing off by using too much biological, scientific jargon, that yes indeed, Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us provides a wonderful general introduction to parasites and to parasitology for both older children from about the age of nine or ten onwards but also in my humble opinion for interested adults desiring a concise, extensive but not overly detailed textual representation covering what one needs to know regarding parasites (including how our understanding regarding parasitical pests and how to deal with and approach them has changed over the centuries, and how in centuries past, many parasites were much more common and much worse due to a generally bad and insufficient regard for basic hygiene).
But even though Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us has most definitely been a solid and also enlightening four star reading experience for me, I would probably not actively consider recommending this book unless potential readers are actually and specifically interested in learning about parasites (and in fact, I only read Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us in the first place because the Miscellaneous Club of the Children’s Literature Group is featuring Creepy Crawlies as its August topic). For while Roger Marrin does manage to keep Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us relatively free of goriness, horror and holds back from absolutely disgusting textual portrayals and representations of parasites, parasitical infections and epidemics, well, ONLY parasites is the topic of Little Monsters: The Creatures that Live on Us and in Us, and due to this, what is thematically written and shown by Roger Marrin is of course and by its very nature rather disgusting, and dealing mostly with disease etc. simply because parasites often if not even usually do cause and spread disease.
August 8, 2017
Amusing review of parasitology for myself, having taken parasitology in college, and educational for my 7 year old, an avid reader of nature. We had a wonderful discussion (ok, maybe not for all audiences) in the car about elephantiasis and roundworms afterwards.
The book is well written, has good pictures (yes, as someone mentioned, in black-and-white) and quite accurate with current parasitology understanding. This subject is not for the faint of heart, and was the one topic in college that I couldn't study over a meal. This book is relatively low-gory and holds back from absolutely disgusting potential.
The book is well written, has good pictures (yes, as someone mentioned, in black-and-white) and quite accurate with current parasitology understanding. This subject is not for the faint of heart, and was the one topic in college that I couldn't study over a meal. This book is relatively low-gory and holds back from absolutely disgusting potential.
June 4, 2017
Excellent introduction to parasitology (study about parasites). A very short text with fine pictures and illustrations and rich information. The book covers a brief history of parasitology, emient scientific figures, mostly dangerous and well-knowns parasites that are responsible for deadly diseases and basic rules to prevent infection. There're a lot of interesting, sometimes shocking, stories about those scary parasites such as an intentionally faked epidemic typhus that saved thousands of Polish people from being executed by Nazi troops. Strongly recommend for kids and even adults.
July 10, 2013
I am in equal parts disturbed and in awe of parasites and the many ways in which they infiltrate our lives. This book gives some close up views of our fellow travelers, while giving tips on how to avoid some of them. Thoroughly fascinating...and a book that will make you scratch those phantom itches...or are they?
December 10, 2011
An engaging, informative exploration of the invisible and barely visible creepy crawlies who live on us and in close proximity. Marrin's vividly written descriptions of these beasties and what they do will make readers itch, squirm, and exclaim "Eeewww!"
November 2, 2021
Next time someone says they would like to live back in an earlier era, just give them this book. Utterly fascinating, frequently repulsive, wonderfully written and concise. A fantastic introduction to the creepy world of parasites.
April 14, 2012
This book made me lose sleep at night!! Very informative though and easy to follow.
September 25, 2012
Wow, how grotesquely fascinating and informative. Kids will be sucked in by all the terrific photos and information about parasites and the diseases they deliver.
December 18, 2024
A good book for young readers and curious adults alike who want an overview of parasitology!
May 15, 2013
Interesting read. Written well for kids.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews