I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

As a human who loves history, but needs to work on understanding science and its hows and whys, I loved this book. It is filled with scientists, and their knowledge before, during, and after Influenza is a way I 100% understood, so the very middle schooler/high schooler should too.

Thank you for making this fascinating era in history understanding for us non-scientifically inclined humans.

This young reader's version of John Barry’s “The Great Influenza” focuses on the course and consequences of the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919. It comes in at about 200 pages (the original version had a hefty 500+ pages) so it’s a quick read. It keeps the most compelling parts of the story, but doesn’t go into quite as much detail as the original.

Why read a book about a pandemic that happened more than 100 years ago? Simply put, the parallels between that pandemic and our own recent one are striking. In its second wave, the flu was killing rapidly. Scientists raced to figure out what it was and to find a cure (or a way to prevent it). Governments (federal and state) responded to varying degrees. Citizens responded in a variety of ways (from helping at the risk of their own lives to refusing to help anyone).

“The Great Influenza” directly discusses the scientific method and the development of a working hypothesis in a crisis situation. This is one of the many fascinating aspects of the story.

The Afterword is very much worth the read. Barry describes the process the U.S. government has taken to formulate a pandemic response (from WELL before COVID-19). He also discusses the role of leadership in shaping public behavior to mitigate the effects of a pandemic.

Classroom considerations: This would be a great book to explore in a U.S. history or government class. It would be interesting to have students explore government responses to outbreaks of disease across the 20th century and into the 21st century.

This book is great for teens and adults who like microhistories, the history of public health, the history of disease, or general history.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Great Influenza by John M. Barry. I read the full version of this book which is around 600 pages and packed with intricate details. Truth be told the full version is overwhelming if you don't have a deep understanding of science. I was really excited to see how this book was turned into a kids book. I think it's around 300 pages and does a fantastic job of telling the story and surrounding stories of the Spanish flu pandemic. I think that with vocabulary and understanding of science and political science topics, this book is more appropriate for the 14 and up crowd. And it's a fabulous resource for adults. Don't let the fact that it's the kids version keep you from reading it - there's nothing childlike about the content!



#TheGreatInfluenza #NetGalley

Approximately one hundred years before the COVID-19 pandemic that is so fresh in global memory, a similar pandemic took the lives of a huge percentage of the worldwide population. Influenza traveled with troops fighting in Europe, and with cold winters and inadequate preparation, countless people became ill and died. Luckily, scientific inquiry into the world of medicine was beginning to appear more seriously at this period in history, and the arrival of a highly contagious and terminal illness fueled the fire that would lead to great advances in virology and epidemiology.

This narrative nonfiction account of the 1918 flu pandemic is filled with pertinent information and is presented in a way that is accessible to teen readers. Though straightforward when read, complicated medical and historical details are included that challenge readers of all ages. The author begins the book by providing relevant historical details that place the events of 1918 in a larger context and encourage readers to look past the disease itself and take into account the bigger picture. Because of this design, readers can better comprehend the causes and effects of the events leading up to influenza’s movement around the world.

No images are incorporated within this book, which can limit the accessibility it could have for a younger audience. Despite this, however, readers are able to easily understand the events thanks to the thoughtful design and presentation of the text. The recent experience with the COVID-19 pandemic makes reading this book even more familiar, and readers will come away with a better understanding of how science and research can lead to breakthroughs that can save lives. As the world becomes ever more globalized, this book is one of many that can help guide young readers to become the leaders of the future. This is a positive addition to nonfiction library collections for young adult readers.

Interesting but at times a little overwhelming with detail. I pretty much skimmed the last section, but the author made some important points regarding how people in power should deal with pandemics. Definitely a book you need to have patience with.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy, which I voluntarily reviewed.

Young readers notwithstanding, this is a scaled down version of the original which I listened to for 19 and a half hours a few years ago on audiobook. That one was excellent but occasionally a bit more technical than others might like (I am a retired nurse). This is timeless history as we have learned with the recent COVID pandemic and people need to know the similarities and differences in the human responses.
I am giving this caveat because the copy I requested and received from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers via NetGalley is not TTS enabled.

I loved this young readers edition about the Great Influenza it was informative without talking down to the kids. But I think anyone can get something out of it.

I learned so much about the flu pandemic from a century ago. One thing, for instance, was that the flu hit American troops so hard that they were cancelling the draft to try to get it under control, and they think that saved at least thousands of lives. Another thing was that they worked so hard to get nurses to help that civilian places like hospitals didn't have the nurses they needed.
There was so much information in this and it was presented in such an exciting, dynamic style. I think the best books about diseases are as exciting and stressful as any other kind of thriller. This was fantastic.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this