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jcouchoud's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great book read to the kids during the story portion of our UU church service. I liked it so much I bought it as a gift for my godsons. It explains evolution (evolution, not a creation story) in a way digestible for kids and the illustrations are beautiful.
thowell's review against another edition
Evaluation of Quality:
Assessment of potential use:
Assessment of appeal to children:
Assessment of potential use:
Assessment of appeal to children:
biblio_amy's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great picture book to introduce kids to evolution. It is well done!
librarypatronus's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely beautiful illustrations with information that is informative but easy enough for a child to understand.
minabear's review against another edition
4.0
I really adored this book for my daughter when she was younger; it gave her a simplistic understanding of evolution and natural selection. The pictures are wonderful, from the DNA structures to the multiple single-celled organisms to the reptiles and dinosaurs and primates that followed.
The hows of macro-evolution are addressed in a fairly basic manner, straight-forward enough for young children, but does not address the "whys," so this is a decent book for people of all religious or non-religious perspectives.
On a personal note, I must mention that the first person plural narration of the book did confuse her a bit a the time (she was 4-7 when we read this one). The whole "we were first cells, then we changed to fish then we changed to reptiles then we changed to people" angle reinforced her (and her father's beliefs on reincarnation/we are all one giant soul mysticism) which I wasn't too crazy about. At the time I was an apathetic "believer" of a universal Godhead, which is a flaky way of saying I was spiritual, but not religious. Now my spiritual beliefs have "evolved" to a more gnostic/pagan/polytheistic/paleo-Catholic/Orthodox (and if that doesn't confuse you, it should), but that hasn't squelched my understanding and beliefs of evolution and the scientific processes of life.
As a parent it's up to me to reveal the bond of the spiritual and the rational, and ten years later, she's at the top of her class in science (biology) and possibly looking into a field of medical research particularly in the genetics.
When science education is made fun, it opens up a new dimension to children, no matter where they come from.
The hows of macro-evolution are addressed in a fairly basic manner, straight-forward enough for young children, but does not address the "whys," so this is a decent book for people of all religious or non-religious perspectives.
On a personal note, I must mention that the first person plural narration of the book did confuse her a bit a the time (she was 4-7 when we read this one). The whole "we were first cells, then we changed to fish then we changed to reptiles then we changed to people" angle reinforced her (and her father's beliefs on reincarnation/we are all one giant soul mysticism) which I wasn't too crazy about. At the time I was an apathetic "believer" of a universal Godhead, which is a flaky way of saying I was spiritual, but not religious. Now my spiritual beliefs have "evolved" to a more gnostic/pagan/polytheistic/paleo-Catholic/Orthodox (and if that doesn't confuse you, it should), but that hasn't squelched my understanding and beliefs of evolution and the scientific processes of life.
As a parent it's up to me to reveal the bond of the spiritual and the rational, and ten years later, she's at the top of her class in science (biology) and possibly looking into a field of medical research particularly in the genetics.
When science education is made fun, it opens up a new dimension to children, no matter where they come from.
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