Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be [Hardcover]

Daniel Loxton (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2010 | Age Range: 8 and up

Evolution is the process that created the terrible teeth of Tyrannosaurus rex and the complex human brain, clever enough to understand the workings of nature. Young readers will learn how a British naturalist named Charles Darwin studied nature and developed his now-famous concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest. And how modern-day science has added to our understanding of the theory of evolution.

Can something as complex and wondrous as the natural world be explained by a simple theory? The answer is yes, and now Evolution explains how in a way that makes it easy to understand.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—Loxton uses a combination of Q & A and exposition in his conversational text to explore the process of evolution. He even makes reference to religion, stating that while science, exemplary in explaining the functionalism of the natural world, "can't tell us what those discoveries mean in a spiritual sense." Topics addressed include whether it is possible to see new species evolve, the evolution of flight, and the dearth of many "transitional" fossils. Other facing-page units discuss evolutionary compromises, Darwinian theory, and the fact that "survival of the fittest" may often be the "survival of the adequate." Colorful illustrations and diagrams appear on every page, and the book uses a variety of faces/heads with each "question," giving the impression they are asked by individuals. More difficult than Steve Jenkins's Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution (Houghton, 2002), almost on par with Robert Winston's Evolution Revolution (2009), and simpler than Linda Gamlin's Evolution (2009, both DK), this title will appeal to researchers.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

This straightforward explanation and defense of the theory of evolution grew out of material published in 2007 in Junior Skeptic, the children’s section of a quarterly science education and advocacy magazine published in Canada. The author-illustrator, Junior Skeptic’s editor, describes evolution as the changes of life on earth over time as shown first through fossil finds and geological layers. Darwin’s theory of natural selection explained its workings, and now the process has been demonstrated in a variety of ways. Loxton also discusses convergent evolution, evolutionary compromises, and human ancestry, and he addresses some common concerns. His message is clear: “There is no intelligence—no brain—behind evolution that is running things.” Generously illustrated with photographs, cartoons, diagrams, and computer-generated images of ancient creatures, this is attractively designed. But some illustrations are unlabeled: a large ammonite and the reconstructed face of the hominid fossil known as Lucy are identified only on the jacket flap. The additional lack of sources and bibliography make this a useful but flawed resource. Grades 4-7. --Kathleen Isaacs

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press, Ltd. (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554534305
• ISBN-13: 978-1554534302
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Fossils
  • #38 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Biology
  • #83 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Dinosaurs

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 88 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for kids January 27, 2010

By John Shepherd

Format:Hardcover

This is a great kid's book about evolution. However, adults will also find it well worth reading. While it explains the substance of evolution in the straight forward way typical of a "children's" book, it presents illustrations, explanations, and examples useful for those of us who do not happen to be a biologist, geologist or similar type of scientist. The last chapter discusses many of the misconceptions about evolution without being condescending or "preachy." Many books on evolution are fairly technical and often rather dry. This book is neither. For some of us, this could be the "missing link" enabling us to better understand more comprehensive writing and discussions on evolution. Buy it for your kids but read it before you give it to them!

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book for any age January 27, 2010

By David Peterman

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Even though this book is targeted for kids 8-13, it is so well-written and beautiful to look at that it can be appreciated by anyone of any age. It's not often that an incredibly complex process is explained in such a lucid, straightforward manner... maybe the author could tackle string theory next?!

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent children's book on evolution January 27, 2010

By Alric Lopez

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Breathtaking illustrations with lucid explanations that are not dumbed down for children; just very accessible.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent primer on evolution for both kids and adults August 2, 2010

By B. Radford

Format:Hardcover

Evolution by natural selection is not necessarily clear or intuitive. Evolution is not inherently obvious; it is a slow, complex process with many nuances. Whether stunted by a poor educational system or religious fundamentalists, it is a minor tragedy that one of the greatest scientific ideas in history remains the subject of dispute.

That is why books like Loxton's Evolution are important. This book is aimed at children and teens who want a solid understanding of evolution's fundamentals. Loxton has a lot of ground to cover, and he begins by noting that different fossils are found in different geological strata--a fact that suggested to early researchers that many now-extinct animals had once roamed the planet (and much longer ago than most people could imagine). Evolution goes on to touch on a wide variety of subjects related to evolution, from DNA to the alleged "living dinosaur" mokele-mbembe. Along the way, new concepts such as species and mutation are introduced, often in the form of posed questions. Charles Darwin's experiments are briefly described, including his research into avian inbreeding and the variations in beaks in isolated populations of Galapagos island finches. The elements of evolution are explained in terms that are neither dumbed-down nor too complex for its target audience.

Loxton, editor of Junior Skeptic, also shows off his considerable illustration skills. The book is clearly written for children, and eye-catching graphics are of course a necessity. Every page has one or more enticing, full-color images illustrating everything from dinosaurs to the bird-dinosaur Archaeopteryx to cute, flirty little zebra-like things called Zooks.... This helps reinforce the important concept that evolution is not a stale, dry theory dusted off from irrelevant history or science books but instead a real, active process occurring all around us at this very moment. It's rare to find such an accessible, dynamic treatment of the subject of evolution.

Evolution also wisely anticipates and addresses some of the most common anti-evolution fallacies (such as that the eye is too complex to have evolved naturally). This feature alone makes the book better than other simplified descriptions of evolution because it inoculates readers against bogus creationist arguments they may hear but would be otherwise unable to answer. I hope that 150 years from now books on evolution, such as those by Richard Dawkins and Loxton, will be considered obsolete, a redundant parroting of basic facts that every schoolchild knows. Until then, the world is sorely in need of high-quality, accessible science and skeptical books for teens and children, and Loxton's book is an excellent and long-overdue introduction to evolution. Read more ›

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Evolution, with a side order of critical thinking June 21, 2010

By D. Wilkinson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this book for my daughters, and we've been going through it together. The kids love it--I suspect that the gorgeous illustrations and the conversational tone really help there--and I'm very appreciative of the way the material is presented. All the material is engaging, and Loxton doesn't talk down to his young audience. While my two (both almost 7) still need a little help with some of the concepts, I'm sure that they'd have no problem with most of it on their own in a year or two. The question-and-answer portion of the second half of the book, in particular, is almost like a little introduction to critical thinking.

We liked it so much we bought copies for our (cash-strapped) town and elementary school libraries--not sure I can give it a stronger recommendation than that!

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My 8-year-old daughter loves it February 25, 2010

By Todd Dailey

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I picked this up for my 8-year-old 3rd grade daughter. She loves it! It's a great book that really explains not only the science of evolution, but also strays into many other sciences. It also deals with many of the common objections to evolution in a way that a child can easily understand. Really, this is one of the best science books for kids I've seen in a long time. Highly recommended!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Simple and Straightforward August 15, 2010

By Beaker

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book manages to explain many different facets of evolution in a simple way without being boring or too childlike. It's an interesting book for adults as well as kids, and it manages to do all of this as well as feature gorgeous artwork. The artwork alone is worth the price of the book, and unlike most books for kids, it looks great on a coffee table. If you are an adult interested in reading more about evolution, this one is easy to understand and doesn't talk down to the reader. If you're buying it for kids, it may be a little too advanced for the under-9 set, but kids older than 9 should be able to understand most of it.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars clear and informative January 27, 2010

By E. NEES

Format:Hardcover

Do you want your child or your students to truly understand how life evolved on earth? This book has it all: gorgeous visual images and clear, compelling text. A soon-to-be classic book designed for children ages 8-13.