The Story of Life: A First Book About Evolution

K-Gr 4—This introduction to evolution traces the planet's history from its fiery beginnings of thunderous volcanoes and lava 4.5 billions of years ago. The book covers the emergence of the first bacteria, the development of dinosaurs, mammals, and birds, and the appearance of humans and how they explored and evolved as the Earth warmed and people began to settle in different parts of the world. Through colorful, cartoonlike images, rendered in mixed media and collage, text bubbles, and captions, this informative story provides a window into the Earth's beginnings, natural selection and the concept of "survival of the fittest," and some of the possible causes of extinction. The authors have consulted Brian Rosen, of the Natural History Museum in London, making this book a solid resource for beginning reports. Back matter is useful and will leave children pondering issues such as climate change and endangered creatures. Time lines are clearly labeled in each section so that readers have an understanding of each historical period. Pair this with Steve Jenkins Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution (HMH, 2002) for a preliminary start to exploring this topic.