Customer Reviews

Voyages Through Time: The Beginning

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Peter Ackroyd's The Beginning is an informed and informative nonfiction resource for young adults which superbly organizes and presents our latest scientific understanding of how the Earth was formed, how life evolved, and showcasing an era when humans were at the mercy of the elements and their environment. Brilliant color illustrations and what the latest discoveries in astronomy and paleontology have taught us about the Earth's history fill the pages of this exciting and highly stimulating educational resource. Very highly recommended for school and community library collections, The Beginning is the first title in Peter Ackroyd's new and forthcoming "Voyages Through Time" series from DK Publishing.

Reading through the table of contents of the book I had this sense of familiarity. The first few chapters have been titled and themed in such a way that it bring to mind the creation story found in the Bible. Granted, that's not what this book is about and I don't believe the story of creation found in the pages of Genesis is meant to be taken as literal scientific fact, however, I appreciate the sense of wonder and significance the framing gives to the beginning of time (even though, taken as is, it's not as if the beginning of our universe was lacking in wonder). Still, by borrowing a bit from the structure of the Genesis story, I think Ackroyd gives a bit of familiarity to the history and science he's sharing. Ackroyd weaves together science, a storytellers skill, easy page layout, and fascinating pictures and illustrations for a good overview of the very beginning of our planet to the final emergence of Homo sapiens.