Positive reinforcement

One of my editors just emailed me a nice review of The Good, the Bad, the Slimy: The Secret Life of Microbes on NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Recommends. Here's an excerpt that particularly pleases me:

It’s easy to tell from the tone of her writing that the author has a passion for her subject, which is always a hook for the reader. Presenting science in its historical context and talking about the people involved in the discovery of the world of microbes creates sends a message to students that science is both a process and a human endeavor that engages and encourages people to ask questions and to look for empirical evidence to answer their questions.

You know you're a science geek when the reviewer can tell you have a passion for microbiology. But it's true. What I really liked was that the reviewer appreciated one of the themes I always try to convey in my science books, which is that science is "both a process and a human endeavor." I try to convey a sense of the excitement of research, not just the results.

I really am quite pleased with this book, in part because I love love love the photos. (Thank you, Dennis Kunkel!)

This review came at a good time, just as I'm trying to finish my first Extreme Scientists book. I needed the encouragement!