June Almeida, Virus Detective! The Woman Who Discovered the First Human Coronavirus

Written with input and resources from her daughter, this comprehensive picture book biography of June Almeida (1930–2007) follows the innovative virologist through her science-loving childhood in Glasgow, her hospital lab work in the U.K. after she “left school at age 16 to help pay the family bills,” and her “remarkable research” in Canada and the U.K. using an electron microscope. One noteworthy spread breaks down Almeida’s discovery of the first human coronavirus into an accessible step-by-step process (“Then she added a drop of acid, which turned the liquid containing the virus particles black as ink. With this black background, the virus would be easier to see”). Paganelli contributes softly colored art with sketchlike textures and backgrounds that portray viruses, antibodies, and their ilk. An adept profile of a lesser-known scientific luminary. Back matter includes more information about Almeida with photographs, a timeline, and a selected bibliography. Ages 6–10. (Mar.)