Nema and the Xenos

Cover featuring a drawing of a nematode moving through an underground channel

Enlarge cover

A Story of Soil Cycles

Small Friends Books By: Ailsa Wild, Aviva Reed, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti, S. Patricia Stock

eBook - August 2019 - eRetailers

The tale of a tiny worm, the bacteria that live inside her, and a tree being munched on by a grub.

This is a story about tiny creatures that live in the darkness of the soil. + Full description

When a tree cries out in pain, some unexpected heroes come to the rescue. Nema and her gang of young nematodes (tiny worms) embark on a dangerous journey underground. The Xenos, a group of wise but deadly bacteria, hitch a ride. The story of how they help the tree is full of action, life-or-death challenges and microscopic warfare. It is a story of co-operation and ancient partnership, about events happening all over the Earth, in the hidden worlds beneath our feet.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 8-12.

Part of the Small Friends Books series – Stories of Partnership and Cooperation in Nature.

- Short description

Reviews

"A beautifully illustrated, exciting and engaging story that is sure to inspire a child’s imagination; while providing a scientifically accurate glimpse into the complex structure and living networks within soil."
Dr Eva Schneider and Dr Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb

"Nema and the Xenos: A Story of Soil Cycles is a must-read for every child and every adult to remember that microbes make us, we are soil, we are members of a complex, creative, cooperative Earth Family."
VANDANA SHIVA - Scientist, Environmentalist and Author

"Biological verité but as gripping and exotic as a fairy tale"
DORION SAGAN - Writer and Theorist

"Nema and the Xenos is a clever story that enlightens readers ages 8-12 of the detailed nature of soil and it’s inhabitants. The illustrations are scientific and picturesque allowing young readers to see scientific diagrams and words and link this to tangible natural objects."
Vanessa Rendall, Educate. Empower. blog, 11 July 2019

"This is a well thought out and beautifully presented book that successfully combines an illustrated narrative to communicate complex science concepts. It would be an invaluable teaching resource for a unit on soil."
Julie Bertola, Children's Book Council Reading Time blog, 30 July 2019

"‘Nema and the Xenos: A Story of Soil Cycles’, is another engaging, interesting and beautifully illustrated book from our friends at the Scale Free Network and CSIRO Publishing."
Dr Sam Lloyd, Children's Books Daily blog, 25 September 2019

"Essential addition to any microbe-lover’s library."
Small Things Considered blog, 21 January 2021

"Nema and the Xenos is an incredible collaboration to summarize and honor the research of Dr. Patricia Stock at the University of Arizona"
Anne M. Estes, Mostly Microbes, 28 March 2021

Details

Features

A beautifully illustrated science-adventure story, created in collaboration with scientists.
Engages children in the invisible world of microbes.
‘The Science Behind the Story’ section allows for deeper exploration of the scientific concepts underpinning the story.
Teacher Notes available to support the use of this book in the classroom.
The Small Friends Books series combines cutting-edge scientific research, rich narrative and beautiful illustrations to tell stories that describe symbiotic partnerships between microbes and larger life forms.

Authors

Ailsa Wild creates stories for theatre and paper pages. She loves collaborating with acrobats, scientists and children and her favourite question is ... But why?

Aviva Reed is a multi-disciplinary visual ecologist who creates immersive experiences to explore complex science.

Briony Barr draws on her skills as a conceptual artist to visualise complex systems and invisible worlds.

Gregory Crocetti combines his microbial ecology experience with science education skills in an attempt to teach the world that microbes are marvellous.

Patricia Stock is a Professor at the University of Arizona, USA. Her expertise is in insect pathology, with a focus on parasitic nematodes. Her work centres on the diversity, evolutionary relationships and symbioses these parasites have with their eukaryotic hosts and bacterial symbiotic partners.