About the book

Meet the bacteria, viruses, and other germs and microbes that are all around, but too small for us to see. Learn how they keep us and our world running.

What do a squid that glows, fungus that grows, and tiny creatures in the soil under your toes all have in common? They're all part of the world of microbiology! In this awesome book for kids, scientist Steve Mould reveals fun and fascinating facts about bacteria, viruses, and other germs and microbes. The Bacteria Book explores why we need bacteria, and introduces readers to its microbial mates - viruses, fungi, algae, and protozoa. 

What did the judges think?

Judge Dr Francisco Suzuki-Vidal, Royal Society Research Fellow, said “My son really liked this—especially the viruses. The topics are an ideal primer to microscopic life, infectious or otherwise, and the history of science in discovering its richness. The book is very engaging, well presented, a great combination of photos, graphics, and bite-sized chunks of text.”

About the author

Steve Mould is a science presenter and comedian with a physics degree from the University of Oxford. He regularly appears as a science expert across TV and radio, including BBC’s The One Show and CBBC Blue Peter, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4. His YouTube channel has more than 280,000 subscribers, and his videos regularly achieve hits in the hundreds of thousands. Steve is also part of live comedy science trio Festival of the Spoken Nerd who perform at festivals and events across the UK. Steve is the author of How to Be a Scientist, The Bacteria Book (longlisted for the Best Book of Facts Award in the Blue Peter Book Awards 2018) and Science is Magic, published by DK.

Steve Mould
Steve Mould