Award-winning author Don Brown explores a very timely subject: the history of vaccines

A Shot in the Arm!, book 3 in the Big Ideas that Changed the World series, is the history of vaccinations and the struggle to protect people from infectious disease. Beginning with smallpox--perhaps humankind's greatest affliction to date--and concluding with an overview of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown traces the evolution of vaccines and examines deadly diseases such as measles, polio, anthrax, rabies, cholera, and influenza. The book is narrated by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who historically popularized inoculation in England in the early 18th century. Brown covers the science behind how our immune systems work, the discovery of bacteria, and major achievements from scientists like Louis Pasteur, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, and Edward Jenner, the "father of immunology." Brown also tackles the public and political response to vaccination throughout history, addressing head-on the anti-vaccination movement and debunking false claims that vaccines cause autism. A reminder of progress made so far as well as the millions of lives still to be saved, A Shot in the Arm! is a fascinating deep-dive for readers young and old. Back matter includes an author's note, timeline, bibliography, notes, and index.
Big Ideas That Changed the World is a graphic novel series that celebrates the hard-won succession of ideas that ultimately changed the world. Humor, drama, and art unite to tell the story of events, discoveries, and ingenuity over time that led humans to come up with a big idea and then make it come true.

"“The arrival of ‘A Shot in the Arm!’ couldn’t be more timely. . . This fascinating and enlightening journey takes us around the world and introduces us to a range of scientific superstars of germ theory and vaccination development. . . The author’s goals are clear and vitally important, and the delivery is lively and engaging.”" - The New York Times

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**STARRED REVIEW**
"Thoroughly researched and fascinating, this effort concludes with outstanding backmatter for a rich, accurate examination of the critical role of vaccines. Essential."

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**STARRED REVIEW**
"Brown could be considered the format’s premiere historian for young readers; his exhaustive research is always coupled with an understanding of human motivation and an inviting, unostentatious visual style, all while connecting the past to the world we live in now."

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**STARRED REVIEW**
"Shedding light on a topic that’s all too timely, this thorough chronicle of vaccination is essential."

"Brown’s readers will be ready to contextualize the rapid pace of contemporary research, the calculated risk and anticipated rewards for the first COVID-19 vaccine users, and the repeating theme of public welfare vs. individual rights, as hotly debated now as in the past." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Brown’s typical loose pen and watercolor illustrations, including single pages, double-page spreads, and varied panel layouts, make this well-researched volume—part history, part science— engagingly easy to read." - The Horn Book Magazine