Club Microbe

Written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

Welcome to Club Microbe — the most exclusive club in the universe, with the tiniest members. In this irresistible nonfiction picture book from beloved author-illustrator Elise Gravel, a cast of wildly expressive microbes introduces themselves and explains what they do, where they live, and why they matter. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa all get their moment in the spotlight, rendered in Gravel's signature bold, funny, deeply charming style. Packed with real science and genuine humor, Club Microbe makes the invisible world feel vivid, surprising, and completely alive — and leaves readers with a profound new appreciation for the creatures too small to see.

View Teacher Guide

From the Library Director

Club Microbe is Elise Gravel at her absolute best. She has a singular gift for making science feel like a party — her microbes have personality, opinions, and a kind of cheerful self-importance that is completely irresistible. But what makes this book more than just a fun read is how much real science it contains. Gravel doesn't talk down to young readers: she explains what bacteria actually do, how viruses work, why fungi are essential, and what protozoa are — and she does it all with humor, warmth, and illustrations that make you want to look at every page twice. This is a perfect book for science units on living things, cells, and ecosystems, and it pairs beautifully with hands-on microscopy activities. It's also a wonderful antidote to the idea that microbes are just germs to be feared — Gravel makes a compelling case that most microbes are not only harmless but essential, and that the invisible world is one of the most interesting places on Earth. A genuine keeper, and a perfect book to close out any collection of science-forward picture books. Highly recommended for K–3 and beyond.

Big Idea

The world is full of living things too small to see — and understanding them changes how we see everything, from the food we eat to the air we breathe to the way our bodies work.

Discussion Questions

1
Microbes are everywhere — in the air, in the soil, in our bodies, in our food. Does that surprise you? Does it change how you think about the world around you? Does it make you feel curious, or a little bit nervous, or both?
2
The book introduces bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. What is the most surprising thing you learned about any of them? Which microbe would you most want to learn more about, and why?
3
Most microbes are not harmful — in fact, many are essential to life on Earth. Can you think of examples from the book where microbes do something helpful? What would happen to the world if all microbes disappeared?
4
Elise Gravel gives the microbes in this book big personalities and funny voices. Why do you think she chose to do that? Does it make the science easier or harder to understand? Does it make you like the microbes more?
5
Scientists use microscopes to see microbes because they're too small to see with our eyes. What else in the world is too small to see? What do you think we might discover if we could see even smaller things than microbes?
6
There are more microbes in a handful of soil than there are people on Earth. What does that tell us about how much of life on Earth is invisible to us? Does that change how you think about what 'life' means?
7
Some microbes make us sick, but most don't. How do you decide when to be worried about microbes and when not to be? What's the difference between being careful and being afraid?
8
If you could design your own microbe for Club Microbe, what would it look like? What would it do? Where would it live? What would its personality be like?

Activity: Design Your Own Microbe

Students combine real microbiology with creative design thinking — researching an actual microbe, then creating an illustrated 'Club Microbe' membership card that captures both the science and the personality of their chosen organism.

1
Before reading, ask students: Has anyone ever seen a microbe? How? What do you think microbes look like? Take a few responses, then introduce the book: today we're going to meet some of the smallest living things on Earth — and they have a lot to say for themselves. As you read, pay attention to what each microbe looks like, where it lives, and what it does.
2
Read Club Microbe aloud with full enthusiasm — pause to admire the illustrations, let students react to the funnier moments, and ask questions along the way: What does this microbe do? Is it helpful or harmful? Where does it live? After reading, create a class chart with four columns — Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, Protozoa — and fill in what students remember about each. Ask: What do all microbes have in common? What makes each type different?
3
Introduce the 'Design Your Own Microbe' activity. Each student chooses one real microbe to research — provide a list appropriate for your grade level (options: E. coli, Lactobacillus, yeast, penicillin mold, amoeba, paramecium, influenza virus, tardigrade). Students research: What does this microbe look like under a microscope? Where does it live? What does it do — is it helpful, harmful, or both? What is one surprising fact about it?
4
Students create a 'Club Microbe Membership Card' for their chosen organism. In the style of Elise Gravel, the card must include: a large, expressive illustration of the microbe (with a face and personality), the microbe's name and type (bacteria/virus/fungus/protozoa), its habitat ('I live in...'), its job ('My superpower is...'), its size ('I am so tiny that...'), and one fun fact. Encourage students to give their microbe a voice — what would it say if it could talk?
5
Gallery walk and 'Club Microbe' celebration: post all membership cards around the room and give students time to read each other's work. Then gather for a closing discussion: What was the most surprising microbe you learned about from a classmate? What did you learn about the invisible world that you didn't know before? Close with a class reflection: the next time you wash your hands, eat yogurt, see mold on bread, or get a cold — you'll know exactly who's responsible. The microbes are everywhere, and now you know their names.

Standards Connections

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K-3.1 — Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K-3.7 — Use information gained from illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K-3.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, supply facts and definitions, and provide a concluding statement
NGSS 2-LS4-1 — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats; extended to microbial life and invisible ecosystems
NGSS 5-LS1-1 — Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water; extended to the role of microbes in nutrient cycling and decomposition
SEL — Curiosity and Wonder: Cultivate a disposition of scientific curiosity; approach the unfamiliar and the invisible with openness rather than fear