The Nature Timeline Wallbook: Unfold the Story of Nature—from the Dawn of Life to the Present Day!

Gr 5 Up—This utterly browsable and very engaging large-format title is chock-full of scientific facts and stories. A primary feature is a removable six-foot foldout time line with art and captions that highlight the biology of the earth, laid out in three zones: under sea, on land, and in the sky. The time line begins with the big bang and continues right up to the present, offering up information about evolution and the impact humans have had on the globe. Facts are so tightly packed on the page that a plastic magnifier is made available for close inspection. General background knowledge is assumed, as the vocabulary and details are for middle schoolers, at minimum; however, visually, this will appeal to younger students. The second part of the book is in the format of a newspaper, with "articles" about discoveries in the natural world, from the work of Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Empedocles to more recent topics, including climate change and DNA manipulation. A 50-question quiz challenges readers to find the answers somewhere in the volume. As in the time line, the writing is geared toward those with some basic grounding in the sciences and a strong vocabulary.