NSTA Reviews: Innovation in Health

'Innovations in Health'
Crabtree Publishers have introduced a new series called 'Innovations', with six titles: 'Innovations in Everyday Technologies', 'Innovations in Safety', 'Innovations in Health', 'Innovations in Communication', 'Innovations in Transportation', and Innovations in Entertainment'.  Each book has a similar format in terms of the design, contents, index and glossary.  At the beginning is a brief introduction describing inventors, innovators, and engineers.  At the end is an explanation of the 'Engineering Dsign Process' with a challenge called 'Thing Big!'  Moreover, there is a good balance between historic inventions and 'spot lights' on young inventors and innovators.

'Innovations in Health' by L.E. Carmichael features historic health innovations such as Alexander Feming's discovery of penicillin (p19), or Edward Jenner's cowpox vaccination (p6) alongside Anuradhapura Ganesan's VAXXWAGON (p7), a portable fridge powered by a bike to keep vaccines cold in developing countries lacking the means to keep vaccines cold.  The photo of a hand covered in smallpox pustules (p6) hits home the significance of Jenner's vaccine.  'Innovations in Health' also include kid-centric inventions such as Band-aids (p16) and Boo Boo Goo (p17), the original idea of four year old, Kiowa Kavovit.  Her photo with her dad (p17) is from her successful pitch to TV's Shark Tank.  Here's what I find so compelling about this book.  The inventions, discoveries, and innovations are directed to kids as a challenge .  What can you do?  Near the end of 'Innovation in Health' are 'Now It's Your Turn!' (P28) and 'Think Big!'. (p29) Teachers and librarians can use this book as a springboard for serious STEM instruction.  The challenges posed include 'Protecting friends who have food allergies' and 'Patients who forget to take their medicine' (p29). Both challenges are sure to resonate with kids and provide a vehicle to understand the Engineering Design Process (p28).  For me, this series makes an outstanding addition to any STEM library.