CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.
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Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat
CCBC Review:
A compelling account of a real-world medical mystery in the early twentieth century chronicles efforts to determine the cause of pellagra, a debilitating and often deadly disease marked by a red, scaly rash, digestive problems, and mental deterioration, as well as eventual death. Most prevalent in the United States among the poor in the South, it went from relative obscurity to a major public health crisis. Moldy corn and germs were two commonly blamed culprits when Joseph Goldberger was assigned to investigate the cause. Goldberger, a meticulous observer and researcher, eventually theorized pellagra was the result of a dietary deficiency. Again and again he conducted experiments and found evidence supporting his theory — and refuting others — but there was incredible resistance among politicians, doctors, and others in the south, because Goldberger’s theory projected an aura of poverty. Goldberger turned to self-experimentation as he and other researchers set out to prove once and for all that pellagra could not be transmitted from person to person. A fascinating — and at times queasy — read about a disease that has changed the way we eat: The deficiency (nicotinic acid) is why so many packaged foods today are enriched with niacin and B vitamins. A few unfortunate design decisions aside (occasional pages of white on red are difficult to read), this is an intriguing look at the intersection of science and social science. Black-and-white photographs illustrate the volume. ©2014 Cooperative Children's Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Substantial Narrative Non-Fiction
Subjects:
20th Century
Economic Hardship and Poverty
History (Nonfiction)
Illness and Disease
Medicine
Mysteries
Science and Scientists
U.S. History
On CCBC Booklist:
Literary Science 2: Selected Books for Grades 6-12
Publishers:
Calkins Creek, Highlights
Publish Year: 2014
Pages: 192
ISBN: 9781590787328
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 616 Jarrow
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.