The Evolution Book [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Sara Stein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 1986

How did life begin? What makes the continents move? Are Birds really dinosaurs?

The answers to such questions can be discovered by reading the ancient messages left on the earth. Sara Stein, author of The Science Book and The Body Book, involves children, who are earth's newest inhabitants, in exploring beaches, mountains, woodlands, and swamps and unlocking the ancient secrets of the world. Scores of fascinating projects range from raising tadpoles and preserving snake skins and paw prints to making a plankton net, a plant press, and seaweed pudding. Hundreds of drawings and photographs are featured throughout. Selection of the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club. Winner of the New York Academy of Sciences Children's Science Book Award, First Prize. Suitable for ages 10-14. 73,000 copies in print.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of The Science Book here takes on the entire history of life on earth, beginning four billion years ago with the first organic molecules brewing in primordial clay, and tracing the slow progress of evolving life to the present. Exceedingly well researched and unflaggingly interesting, the book delves into the biology and behavior of every imaginable prehistoric and modern plant and animal. Stein covers an enormous amount of material, touching on such topics as the seemingly intelligent behavior of insects, the mental maps that allow birds to find migration routes and the mystery of African fossils found in Boston. Rather than dwell on theory, Stein allows scientific principles to arise naturally from the material. Also included are hundreds of sidebars, many of which propose field trips, experiments or projects. The Evolution Book is a wonderful experience. It's dense without being dull, and vivid while never oversimplifying.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10 Stein tries to make evolution accessible and immediate, without distracting readers with the usual controversies that accompany its study. She approaches the material through natural history and biology, and suggests activities that demonstrate the scientific principles involved. After carefully defining theory and explaining that evolution is a combination of many theories, Stein attempts to explain what scientists have discovered and/or believe. Her good intentions have, unfortunately, prevented complete success. She introduces technical terms and processes, but before she defines them completely, she switches to colloquialisms that confuse rather than clarify. This problem is compounded by the lack of a glossary, and the fact that new words are not always defined. Occasionally this leads to a patronizing tone, as when Stein describes Ice Age Man gathering food by ``grabbing whatever is closest at hand like kids let loose in a candy store.'' Many photographs of children engaged in common activities provide visual appeal but little elucidation. Well-drawn diagrams are not always supported by clear textual explanation. Some suggested activities will aid understanding. Others are not explained fully enough to ensure success (a compost heap), are of questionable value (skinning and tanning hides), or are simply unsafe (demonstrating the Moro reflex with a baby). Although this book cannot easily be used as a first source, Stein's unique perspective and broad coverage are too important to pass it up completely. Allen Meyer, Vernon Area Public Library District, Prairie View, Ill.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (January 9, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089480927X
• ISBN-13: 978-0894809279
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,163,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evolution Presented In A Kid-Freindly Way., May 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Evolution Book (Paperback)

Having chipped away at ''The Beak Of The Finch'' and other long and to most people, tiresome science novels, I appluad the way the facts are presented so that it will not make children conveintly store it on a bookshelf until it accumalates a fine layer of dust. Instead, it makes evolution avaible to the layman- or at least someone without a Phd and a long attention span. Clear and amusing. I reccomend.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Touches on many aspects of evolution, in a timeline fashion, August 26, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Evolution Book (Paperback)

This book has 375 pages before the index. It is not an easy read. It covers a lot. The scope is, very very wide, entirely too wide for my current needs (preparing curriculum for a 1st grader), so I haven't spent a lot of time going through it in detail yet. My initial reaction is that this isn't for the average 10 year old. I first seriously studied the evolution of man at 9, but it was a more focused study, and I think this would have just annoyed me, giving me information I didn't want yet, and not providing me with enough details about what I did want, perhaps killing my interest in the subject. I won't list off all the chapter information because it would take too long, but as an example I will list the information for the one section. 1000 Million Years Ago: Sexual Seaweeds, Jelly Animals, An Explosion of Shells, Seavegetables, How to a Make Plankton Net, Algae Collection, Pretty and Pretty Useful, Small Worlds, Sponging, Moon Babies, Seashore Guide, The Aliens, A Taste of Worms, Worm Hunt, The Oldest Sea Monster, Shell Shapes, Beachcombing, Shell Hunt, and Mollusk Stew. It certainly has its uses, but I wouldn't expect to just buy it for an average elementary school aged child to devour all on their own.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fond memories, February 3, 2004

By 

Serena F. "Firesong" (suburbia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Evolution Book (Paperback)

This was one of my childhood favorites, along with _The Science Book_ by the same author. This is the only nonfiction book that I remember with fondness from elementary school. I read it front to back, although I never tried any of the suggested activities/experiments.