A Kids Company About Launches Their First Book on Human Biology with Seed Health Co-Founder and Author, Ara Katz, to Teach Kids About the Microbiome

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, A Kids Company About released their first book on human biology, A Kids Book About Your Microbiome, by Ara Katz. Parent to an almost-six-year-old, Katz is the co-founder, alongside Raja Dhir, of microbial sciences company, Seed Health. Its consumer brand, Seed, also launched a unique digital learning experience as a companion to the release to unlock free copies of the book.

A Kid's Book About Your Microbiome invites kids (and their grownups) to discover the microbiome—the community of trillions of microbes (too small to see!) that live in, on, and all around us. Seeded at birth, our microbiome performs critical functions, from how we digest food to how our immune system knows what's helpful or harmful.¹ And, the bacteria in our microbiome alone make up 50% of the cells in our body!²

Written for kids five years and up, A Kids Book About Your Microbiome answers questions like, "What is my microbiome?", "Where did it come from?", "What does it do?", and "How can I help it thrive?".

Beyond Katz and Dhir's work at Seed Health pioneering microbiome research for both human and planetary health, their team has been recognized for its award-winning scientific communication and focus on education. Inspired by her conversations about the microbiome with her son, Katz wrote this book to give kids a whole new way to see their bodies and evolve how grownups understand health.

"As a child of the antibiotics generation, it's extraordinary to think that our children will grow up with an entirely new perspective—that 99% of microbes, especially bacteria, are actually beneficial and critical to our health. This book empowers each of us to see ourselves as science does—as walking, talking ecosystems—as superorganisms!" said Katz, smiling.

Grounded in their belief that kids are ready to talk about the hard stuff, A Kids Company About is a Black-owned media company known for its provocative and inspiring books on topics like racism, gender, and body image. A Kids Book About Your Microbiome marks the company's first effort to tackle a complex scientific topic in human biology.

"Kids books are an amazing medium to communicate big ideas and concepts like the microbiome that can shape how children see the world and themselves," said Jelani Memory, co-founder and CEO of A Kids Company About. "As we expand into topics of health and science, we were inspired by Ara's authentic perspective and the opportunity to introduce kids to their 'galaxy within'—their microbiome!"

To celebrate the launch, Seed created a unique digital "learn to earn" experience, where the first 500 curious humans can unlock a free copy of the book for a child in their life. Participants simply enter their email to access a "science class" in their inbox and then ace a quiz to receive a book. Seed is also gifting books to literary organizations, schools, and community libraries to ensure superorganisms everywhere can learn about their microbiome.

The book is also available for purchase here.

Disclaimer
This book may result in a radical shift in perspective, a new appreciation for your body, and the mind-blowing knowledge that approximately 2,400 species of microbes live right inside your belly button.³

About A Kids Company About™
A Kids Company About™ is a new kind of kids media company working to empower a generation of kids through diverse storytelling. Founded in 2019 in Portland, Oregon, A Kids Company About is built on the belief that kids are ready to have challenging, important, and empowering conversations with the grownups in their lives. For more information, visit www.akidsco.com.

About Author, Ara Katz
Ara Katz is the co-founder and co-CEO of Seed Health, a microbial sciences company pioneering the application of microbes to impact human and planetary health. She is also the co-founder of Seed Health's environmental division, SeedLabs, and its first partner biotech company focused on unmet medical needs in women's health, LUCA Biologics. A serial entrepreneur, she has co-founded and exited two startups, and advises companies across health, consumer, and tech. Her work has earned accolades such as Fast Company's World Changing Ideas 2019, 2020, 2021, and TIME's Best Inventions 2018.

About Seed Health • Seed
Seed Health is a microbial sciences company pioneering applications of microbes for human and planetary health. In collaboration with leading academic researchers, we advance breakthrough discoveries in microbial science across a pipeline of novel therapeutics, consumer health innovations, and environmental solutions. All consumer innovations are commercialized under Seed®. seedhealth.com / seed.com

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Citations

¹ The microbiome plays critical roles in the training and development of major components of the host's immune system.
Zheng, D., Liwinski, T. & Elinav, E. Interaction between microbiota and immunity in health and disease. Cell Res 30, 492–506 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-020-0332-7

² You are home to a community of trillions of microorganisms, including 38,000,000,000,000 bacteria that live in and on you.
Sender, R., Fuchs, S., & Milo, R. (2016). Revised Estimates for the Number of Human and Bacteria Cells in the Body. PLOS Biology, 14(8), e1002533. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002533

³ There are as many as 2,400 unique species of bacteria living in our belly button.
Hulcr, J., Latimer, A. M., Henley, J. B., Rountree, N. R., Fierer, N., Lucky, A., Lowman, M. D., & Dunn, R. R. (2012). A jungle in there: bacteria in belly buttons are highly diverse, but predictable. PloS one, 7(11), e47712. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.004771

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SOURCE Seed Health

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