Description
Microbes are tiny but mighty, and they're everywhere!
When left alone, microbes such as bacteria, fungi and algae are experts at adapting, surviving and thriving under extreme and constantly changing conditions. These natural problem solvers can help fight the climate crisis by gobbling up pollutants, breaking down plastic, generating clean energy and capturing carbon. By harnessing the power of microbes, we can create eco-friendly packaging, farm-free food, and even make it easier to live in space! Microbes to the Rescue will introduce young readers to life on a microscopic level and explore how bacteria, fungi and algae play a key role in the connection between all life on Earth. Let’s get microscopic and learn about how microbes can create a cleaner and more sustainable future.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Author Bio
Yolanda Ridge is the author of three books in the Orca Footprints series, What Poo Can Do, Microbes to the Rescue and Beyond Earth, as well as two other juvenile nonfiction titles from Annick Press. She’s also written several middle-grade novels, including two environment-themed titles for Orca Young Readers. She has a master of science degree and is adept at making complex concepts understandable—a skill she uses in her science writing and teaching. She lives in Rossland, British Columbia.
Prizes
- BC Books for SchoolsCommended 2025
- Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) Book Awards - Youth CategoryLong-listed 2025
- The Nature Generation Green Earth Book Award (GEBA)Short-listed 2026
- Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard SelectionCommended 2025
- CCBC Best Books for Kids & TeensCommended 2025
Review Quotes
“Especially useful for individual research or class units on environmental impact.”
— School Library Journal (SLJ)“This engaging nonfiction title from the Orca Footprints series introduces students to the fascinating world of microbes and their essential role in addressing environmental challenges…Well-positioned to spark early interest or deepen classroom discussions in environmental science.”
— BC Books for SchoolsBiographical note
Yolanda Ridge is the author of three other juvenile nonfiction titles, What Poo Can Do: How Animals are Fighting the Climate Crisis (Orca Book Publishers, 2024) Evolution Under Pressure: How We Change Nature and How Nature Changes Us (Annick, 2023) and CRISPR: A Powerful Way to Change DNA (Annick, 2020). She’s also written several middle-grade novels, including two environment-themed titles for Orca Young Readers. She has a master of science degree and is adept at making complex concepts understandable, a skill she uses in her science writing and teaching. She lives in Rossland, British Columbia.
