About the book
A visual exploration of the universe that exists within our own bodies.
Within our bodies hides an entire world of organisms called microbes. They boost our immune systems, digest our food, regulate our metabolism and even impact on our mental health.
Through Katie Brosnan’s personable illustrations, we follow the digestive process from the moment the food enters our mouths to the moment waste leaves our bodies. Along the way we learn about this fascinating scientific frontier and gain an insight into the vast ecosystem that exists inside us.
What did the judges think?
Judge Cressida Cowell, Waterstones Children’s Laureate, said: “This book was very interesting, the wonderful little characters brought it to life. The field is growing, with scientists only now beginning to comprehend the significance of our microbiome – it helps to educate the future generation about science fields with emergent interest.”
About the author
Katie Brosnan is an author and illustrator who has always been a little bit short and appreciates the smaller things in life. She has a long-standing fascination with microbes and their superpowers. She loves absorbing information and trying to make it as fun and accessible as possible.
Katie achieved an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art in 2018. She was one of the UK winners in the ‘Picture This!’ Competition and highly commended in the Macmillan prize for Illustration in the same year. When she isn’t drawing or working on books, she helps to run workshops for children and likes to make her own fermented foods full of microbes in her home in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Gut Garden is her first non-fiction book, it was long-listed for the School Library Association Information Book Award in 2020.
