100 books like Do Not Let Your Dragon Spread Germs

By Julie Gassman, Andy Elkerton (illustrator),

Here are 100 books that Do Not Let Your Dragon Spread Germs fans have personally recommended if you like Do Not Let Your Dragon Spread Germs. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America's Doctor

Beth Bacon Author Of Helping Our World Get Well: Covid Vaccines

From my list on for kids about COVID-19.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an author of books for young readers. These days, there’s nothing more important than having conversations about the Coronavirus disease. It can be hard for grown-ups to start a conversation about Covid with their kids. But they can read a book about the subject and invite the kids to respond to what they heard and saw. My book COVID-19 Helpers was the first place winner of the Emery Global Health Institute’s e-book contest back in May 2020. Through the pandemic, I’ve been reading and talking about the virus with kids from around the world. If you're interested in having me read one of my books to your school, clinic, or your daycare center feel free to get in touch. 

Beth's book list on for kids about COVID-19

Beth Bacon Why did Beth love this book?

This picture book biography does so many things at once—and does it all with a masterful, lyrical storytelling voice. Of course, the primary thing this book does is tell the story of a real person’s life: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In this story, we learn about his ordinary childhood, his personal interests, and the ways his family inspired and encouraged him. It shows that even people we see on the news were once children, just like the kids reading this book. More than that, this book is a celebration of science and the excitement of scientific discoveries.

It reminds kids (and grown-ups) that science is a creative endeavour. So once the urgency of learning about the COVID virus wanes, this book will be still valuable as a primer on how scientists do their work. Additionally, though the narrative part of…

By Kate Messner, Alexandra Bye (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dr. Fauci as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

The definitive picture book biography of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the most crucial figures in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before he was Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci was a curious boy in Brooklyn, delivering prescriptions from his father's pharmacy on his blue Schwinn bicycle. His father and immigrant grandfather taught Anthony to ask questions, consider all the data, and never give up-and Anthony's ability to stay curious and to communicate with people would serve him his entire life.

This…


Book cover of Do Not Lick This Book

Beth Bacon Author Of Helping Our World Get Well: Covid Vaccines

From my list on for kids about COVID-19.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an author of books for young readers. These days, there’s nothing more important than having conversations about the Coronavirus disease. It can be hard for grown-ups to start a conversation about Covid with their kids. But they can read a book about the subject and invite the kids to respond to what they heard and saw. My book COVID-19 Helpers was the first place winner of the Emery Global Health Institute’s e-book contest back in May 2020. Through the pandemic, I’ve been reading and talking about the virus with kids from around the world. If you're interested in having me read one of my books to your school, clinic, or your daycare center feel free to get in touch. 

Beth's book list on for kids about COVID-19

Beth Bacon Why did Beth love this book?

I love simple graphical picture books. I love books with a sense of humor. I love books that are interactive, talk directly to the audience, and get kids to physically act out things as they’re being read to. This story has so many elements that I love…I wish I wrote it! The story explains that microbes are everywhere and invites the reader to touch the book and pick up a tiny microbe that is lounging in the paper. Then it invites the reader to touch one of their teeth. This transfers the microbe into their mouth. The book goes on to prompt the reader to discover the microbes in their clothes and their belly buttons! Yuck, right? Well, that kind of yuck is an effective way of demonstrating the point that after you touch stuff, it’s a good idea to wash your hands.

By Idan Ben-Barak, Julian Frost (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Do Not Lick This Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Min is a microbe. She is small. Very small. In fact so small that you'd need to look through a microscope to see her. Or you can simply open this book and take Min on an adventure to amazing places she's never seen before - like the icy glaciers of your tooth or the twisted, tangled jungle that is your shirt.The perfect book for anyone who wants to take a closer look at the world.


Book cover of What Is the Coronavirus Disease Covid-19?

Beth Bacon Author Of Helping Our World Get Well: Covid Vaccines

From my list on for kids about COVID-19.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an author of books for young readers. These days, there’s nothing more important than having conversations about the Coronavirus disease. It can be hard for grown-ups to start a conversation about Covid with their kids. But they can read a book about the subject and invite the kids to respond to what they heard and saw. My book COVID-19 Helpers was the first place winner of the Emery Global Health Institute’s e-book contest back in May 2020. Through the pandemic, I’ve been reading and talking about the virus with kids from around the world. If you're interested in having me read one of my books to your school, clinic, or your daycare center feel free to get in touch. 

Beth's book list on for kids about COVID-19

Beth Bacon Why did Beth love this book?

This book is for older children. I would offer it to strong readers in grades 4 through 6. Now that I think about it, it would probably be a really informative read for grown-ups… it doesn’t take long to get through the whole book, and the straightforward tone leaves little room for emotions or biases. It’s a refreshing presentation of the facts (though the content, of course, is not “refreshing”). This book opens with a vignette about the lockdown in March 2020 and then goes into a factual description of viruses in general and the coronavirus in particular. It then talks about the early spread of this new disease, the search for treatments, and even the overall economic and governmental impacts that stemmed from the whole phenomenon.

At the end of this book, there are a couple of interesting additions. You will find two timelines: A timeline of the coronavirus…

By Michael Burgan, Who HQ, Manuel Gutierrez (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What Is the Coronavirus Disease Covid-19? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times Best-Selling series tells the story of how COVID-19, a coronavirus, was first identified and how it spread throughout the world in the new Who HQ Now format for trending topics.


The coronavirus disease COVID-19 emerged in November 2019. By March 2020, cities all around the world closed schools, offices, restaurants and other public spaces deemed "non-essential" in an attempt to contain the fast-spreading virus. People struggled to follow government orders, stay indoors, and limit contact with others.
But the virus that caused one of the world's deadliest pandemics eventually killed over five million people worldwide.…


Book cover of We Wear Masks

Beth Bacon Author Of Helping Our World Get Well: Covid Vaccines

From my list on for kids about COVID-19.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an author of books for young readers. These days, there’s nothing more important than having conversations about the Coronavirus disease. It can be hard for grown-ups to start a conversation about Covid with their kids. But they can read a book about the subject and invite the kids to respond to what they heard and saw. My book COVID-19 Helpers was the first place winner of the Emery Global Health Institute’s e-book contest back in May 2020. Through the pandemic, I’ve been reading and talking about the virus with kids from around the world. If you're interested in having me read one of my books to your school, clinic, or your daycare center feel free to get in touch. 

Beth's book list on for kids about COVID-19

Beth Bacon Why did Beth love this book?

The whimsical illustrations in this book caught my attention and captured my heart. The colors in this book are lovely pastels and the text is simple so there’s lots of room to admire the images. I am partial to picture books that are simple and emotional. As we continue on for so many months making the extra effort to wear masks in our daily lives, there’s something heartening in seeing pictures of other people happily wearing masks on the pages of this book. The text is written in sets of rhyming pairs, which are sometimes a stretch. I appreciate that this book for young readers shows a diverse group of people all merrily going about their tasks while wearing protective face masks. 

By Marla Lesage,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked We Wear Masks as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

We Wear Masks is a fun tool to help children make sense of this new reality and make wearing masks less scary and more relatable.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children have been introduced to wearing face masks and seeing others in masks. Author and illustrator Marla Lesage normalizes mask-wearing by introducing young readers to artists, ranchers, pilots, welders, scientists and many more people who already wear masks in their day-to-day lives. This delightful, rhyming picture book will help explain to children why wearing a mask is important as we interact with others in our communities. Readers will learn that,…


Book cover of Germy Science: The Sick Truth about Getting Sick (and Staying Healthy)

Bethany Barton Author Of I'm Trying to Love Germs

From my list on children’s books about germs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a confession: I became an award-winning science communicator for kids sort of by accident. Well, the science part wasn’t an accident… I just didn’t know what I was doing had a name: science communication. I only knew that I had questions! So I set out to approach my questions with facts, humor, empathy, and critical thinking; to interview professionals-in-the-field and to share what I learned from them with kids. For my germs book (I’m Trying To Love Germs), I spoke with professionals in the fields of virology, epidemiology, microbiology, and medicine, and read every kids' germ book I could get my hands on.

Bethany's book list on children’s books about germs

Bethany Barton Why did Bethany love this book?

Germy Science calls itself “A Gross Science Book” and the icky, phlemy, booger & fart-filled illustrations do not disappoint!

The book does a really great job of giving a well-paced (and hilariously illustrated) history of our human understanding of microbes and medicine: from Ancient Greeks blaming the gods, to our first ventures into hand-washing and pasteurization. Early attempts at inoculation provide lots of gross examples, including 1600s China using ground-up smallpox scabs… eww… but also—wow!

The book even makes a thoughtful  mention of Covid-19 in the section about plagues and pandemics—which is wisely titled “Germs That Changed History”.

By Edward Kay, Mike Shiell (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Germy Science as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

This perfectly revolting — and perfectly timely! — introduction to germs from award-winning comedy writer Edward Kay will turn any kid into a master of microbes!

Children get up close and personal with germs (ew!) in this entertaining, thoroughly researched exploration of the science and history of these tiny, ubiquitous creatures. Heavy on the gross factor to keep readers engaged, the book covers what germs are, how we get sick, how the human immune system works and the best ways to stay healthy. There are intriguing stories about early attempts to fight disease (heard about corpse catapults? how about shaved…


Book cover of Inside Your Insides: A Guide to the Microbes That Call You Home

Bethany Barton Author Of I'm Trying to Love Germs

From my list on children’s books about germs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a confession: I became an award-winning science communicator for kids sort of by accident. Well, the science part wasn’t an accident… I just didn’t know what I was doing had a name: science communication. I only knew that I had questions! So I set out to approach my questions with facts, humor, empathy, and critical thinking; to interview professionals-in-the-field and to share what I learned from them with kids. For my germs book (I’m Trying To Love Germs), I spoke with professionals in the fields of virology, epidemiology, microbiology, and medicine, and read every kids' germ book I could get my hands on.

Bethany's book list on children’s books about germs

Bethany Barton Why did Bethany love this book?

Inside Your Insides does a nice job of taking a journey through the body and exploring which microbes live at the stops along the way.

After a brief intro into the microbiome and a distinction between helpful (“Some Of Your Microbes Are Good Guys”) and harmful (“Some of Your  Microbes Are Bad Guys”) little fellas, the book focuses on different areas of the body: skin, mouth, lungs, gut… and dives into information and anecdotes about the microbes that call that region home.

Playful germ-jokes and fun-facts dance along the edges of the pages and the book closes out with tips to treat your microbiome with care.  

By Claire Eamer, Marie-Eve Tremblay (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Inside Your Insides as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

“Wherever you go, tiny hitchhikers tag along for the ride,” this intriguing illustrated nonfiction book begins. “The hitchhikers are actually microbes --- tiny living things so small that you need a microscope to see them. And every person carries around trillions and trillions of these critters.” Six of the most common “critters” that live in and on our bodies are introduced here: bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, protists and mites. Each one has its own preferred environment, and readers will be startled (and likely a little grossed out!) by the many places they live, including the hair follicles on our faces,…


Book cover of The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat

David Benton Author Of Tackling the Obesity Crisis: Beyond Failed Approaches to Lasting Solutions

From my list on understanding why you put on weight.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having studied diet and behavior for forty years, I realized that I had ignored obesity. However, after eventually considering the topic, I found that the actions of both politicians and the food industry had been spectacularly unhelpful. Why are so many people allowed to suffer? If politicians and the food industry are ineffective, there is a third group that could engineer change: the general public. It is scandalous that so many have been condemned to an early death following decades of ill-health. Something needs to change.

David's book list on understanding why you put on weight

David Benton Why did David love this book?

There is a saying, “ For every complex problem, there is a solution that is clear, simple, and wrong.” This view summarizes almost all attempts to control obesity. There has been a failure to acknowledge the multitude of risk factors for obesity and the large number of calories that need to be removed from the diet before obesity is beaten.   

I am, therefore, always delighted when simple views concerning obesity are shown to be mistaken. A fascinating book describes how bacteria in the gut influence the tendency to be slim or obese. You learn that if you eat the right food, you will have 100 trillion friends to help you stay slim.

By Tim Spector,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Diet Myth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'The Diet Myth is fascinating, and now I'm obsessed with microbes!' Nigella Lawson

Why do most diets fail? Why does one person eat a certain meal and gain weight, while another eating the same meal loses pounds? Why, despite all the advice about what to eat, are we all still getting fatter?

The answers are much more surprising - and fascinating - than we've been led to believe. The key to health and weight loss lies not in the latest fad diet, nor even in the simple mantra of 'eat less, exercise more', but in the microbes already inside us.…


Book cover of It's Catching: The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes

Bethany Barton Author Of I'm Trying to Love Germs

From my list on children’s books about germs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a confession: I became an award-winning science communicator for kids sort of by accident. Well, the science part wasn’t an accident… I just didn’t know what I was doing had a name: science communication. I only knew that I had questions! So I set out to approach my questions with facts, humor, empathy, and critical thinking; to interview professionals-in-the-field and to share what I learned from them with kids. For my germs book (I’m Trying To Love Germs), I spoke with professionals in the fields of virology, epidemiology, microbiology, and medicine, and read every kids' germ book I could get my hands on.

Bethany's book list on children’s books about germs

Bethany Barton Why did Bethany love this book?

As a kid, I would have carried It’s Catching with me everywhere, reading facts about our microbial world out loud to anyone who would listen.

Starting with an introduction to a disease detective—who just happens to be the author,  a real-life (female!) science researcher—the book gives a perfectly concise intro to the teeny world of microbiology before branching out into specific players like viruses and bacteria.

My favorite section dives into “Great Germs”—the most common illnesses our bodies face on a global scale. It’s filled with super-interesting anecdotes covering things like the history of the disease, how it was named, how it spreads, or how to prevent it. Each pathogen even gets rated 1-10 on the “Danger-Meter!”  

By Jennifer Gardy, Josh Holinaty (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked It's Catching as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Don’t be afraid to delve into the good, bad, and sometimes truly ugly world of germs. Microbiologist Jennifer Gardy, who calls herself a disease detective, picks up her microscope to bring expert insight to the microbes that are all around us but are too small to see. Irreverent, playful, and contagious in all the best ways, It’s Catching discusses a range of germs and the diseases they cause, from the common cold to food poisoning to the Ebola virus. Young readers will be enticed — and pretty grossed out — while becoming immersed in information about pus, bacteria, DNA, genomes,…


Book cover of The Bacteria Book: The Big World of Really Tiny Microbes

Bethany Barton Author Of I'm Trying to Love Germs

From my list on children’s books about germs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a confession: I became an award-winning science communicator for kids sort of by accident. Well, the science part wasn’t an accident… I just didn’t know what I was doing had a name: science communication. I only knew that I had questions! So I set out to approach my questions with facts, humor, empathy, and critical thinking; to interview professionals-in-the-field and to share what I learned from them with kids. For my germs book (I’m Trying To Love Germs), I spoke with professionals in the fields of virology, epidemiology, microbiology, and medicine, and read every kids' germ book I could get my hands on.

Bethany's book list on children’s books about germs

Bethany Barton Why did Bethany love this book?

The Bacteria Book is an in-depth look into one of the heaviest hitters in the microbial world: bacteria.

Even though it’s a bacteria book (quite literally) other microbes get honorable mentions along the way (viruses, fungi, archaea, etc.) helping to round out the information. The book has lots of really interesting photographs and images from microscopes; bacteria on teeth are revealed in all their sticky glory through the magic of the electron microscope.

My son was drawn to the real-world images of molding fruit and zombie ants, and we both appreciated the fact-filled “Timeline of Microbiology” towards the end. 

By Steve Mould,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Bacteria Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

In this fun, fact-packed science book for kids, young readers will discover the bacteria, viruses, and other germs and microbes that keep our bodies and our world running, as well as how and when they can be harmful and the precautions we can take to prevent them from becoming so.

Meet a glowing squid, traveling fungus spores, and much more. The Bacteria Book walks the line between "ew, gross!" and "oh, cool!," exploring why we need bacteria and introducing readers to its microbial mates-viruses, fungi, algae, archaea, and protozoa.

The Bacteria Book is a fun and informative introduction to a…


Book cover of The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood, and Your Long-Term Health

Lindsay S. Nixon Author Of Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-And-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

From my list on vegan health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I first adopted a vegan diet for the animals and then shifted to a plant-based vegan "for my health" in my mid-20s. I felt fabulous for the next 10-15 years. Then, in my mid-30s, I suddenly developed severe and chronic GI symptoms. I was severely bloated, nauseous, and constipated, which didn't make sense given how much fiber I was eating. After diagnosis and treatment for H Pylori (a bacterial infection), I was left with a "broken belly" (severe dysbiosis). I've spent the last few years reading every book on gut health and hormones to learn how to heal myself since traditional medicine has failed me.

Lindsay's book list on vegan health

Lindsay S. Nixon Why did Lindsay love this book?

Best, most succinct, and comprehensive book I’ve read on the topic of gut health by far. It's also written in a friendly, conversational tone (not overly dry or academic). Things I like: The authors provide a specific daily fiber recommendation (29-35g minimum) for gut health; they discuss how antibiotics and antibiotic soap/cleaner affects microbes, the impacts of glycemic load and industrial flour, and most importantly: they provide evidence so the reader can draw their own conclusions as to what’s best for them diet-wise instead of using fear-mongering.

Note: This book is not "pure vegan" (the authors suggest dairy in some situations).

By Justin Sonnenburg, Erica Sonnenburg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Good Gut as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The groundbreaking science behind the surprising source of good health

Stanford University's Justin and Erica Sonnenburg are pioneers in the most exciting and potentially transformative field of human health and wellness, the study of the relationship between our bodies and the trillions of organisms representing thousands of species to which our bodies play host, the microbes we call the microbiota. The Sonnenburgs argue that the microbiota determines in no small part whether we're sick or healthy, fit or obese, sunny or moody-and that the microbiota has always been with us, coevolving with humans and entwining its functions with ours. They…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in bacteria, health, and childhood?

Bacteria 16 books
Health 119 books
Childhood 196 books