“Jarrow’s coverage of the biological mystery is well-organized and deftly explained, and she also skillfully handles the social context of a condition that largely affected marginalized populations. Readers who wish to delve deeper into the topic are assisted by a glossary, bibliography and website list, source notes, timeline, index, and author’s note on research.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“The title is a literal translation of the hookworm’s scientific name Necator americanus, but the lurid details don’t stop there as Jarrow goes on to expand…accounts of the creepy creature’s life cycle and the discovery of just how disturbingly prevalent ‘America’s bloodsucking murderer’ was in the South in the 19th and early 20th centuries… [A] searching look at the borders between science and society.” —Kirkus Reviews
