Darwin by Alice B McGinty

Darwin's interest in the natural word is peaked as a young boy. As he grows up he continues to explore and document his discoveries. He notices animals of the same type having different characteristics, which leads him to the theory of evolution.

It's nice to find a biography that can read as a picture book, as this does. The illustrations (as done by the Caldecott winning illustrator of Snowflake Bentley) support the feel of an 1800's world quite nicely, and excerpts from Darwin's actual notebooks and letters give an insight to the man himself.

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by Scott

Anthology for the Earth edited by Judy Allen

This is a lovely collection of images and the written word, including contributors from Isaiah to Quentin Blake. There is a wide diversity of well matched illustrations with each portion of text. Some light and comedic, some a bit heavier. Some are very short and others cover a few pages. It can be read sequentially for an overall arch, or flipped open for a quick read. There is also a wide demographic covered, from aboriginal iron mines, to a boy peeking through the hedges in his backyard.

by Scott

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A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World's Religions Seen Through the Eyes of Children by Laura Buller

An accessible overview of the worlds main religions and their primary celebrations. The use of actual children, introduced through the chapters, creative a very nice personalization. They chose favorite parts of the various celebrations to share with the reader.

Nice photographs complimented the descriptions very well. This is a good, non-agenda driven introduction to world faiths, from Christianity, Islam and Judaism to lesser know religions like Jainism, Shinto, and Baha'i.

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by Scott

Potato Chip Science by Allen Kurzweil

The Buffalo are Back by Jean Craighead George

When the Midwest was settled, some major damage was done to the ecosystem. The plowing of the tall grasses left the land susceptible to wind damage, the bison and Native Americans were eradicated. This book talks about the damage done, keeping the focus on the grasses and bison, and shows how we were able to repair some of the damage. It ends on a promising note with the re-introduction of bison and native grasses to areas of the Midwest.

Accompanied by very nice artwork, the story is simple enough for young kids to follow. It unfolds dramatically with well crafted text and ends on a very positive note, encouraging ecological responsibility without being blatant or overbearing.

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by Scott

Disasters: Natural and man-made catastrophies through the centuries by Brenda Guiberson

A collection of tragic events throughout history, from smallpox to hurricane Katrine. The author also explores why each disaster was so bad, and how it might have been prevented. Includes a nice diversity in the subjects covered as well as illustrations including drawings, photographs, and maps.

Arranged chronologically, each chapter deals with one tragedy. Individuals involved with more than one event are cleverly interwoven which links the time line together. Typically the author uses an individual as a focus for each event, lending a more personal feel.

Not for light readers, but very insightful and compelling.

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by Scott

When Royals Wore Ruffles: a Funny and Fashionable Alphabet by Chelsey McLaren

Bright vintage-feeling illustrations and interesting (often funny)
historical tidbits make this a very entertaining book about fashion through the ages. Only adding to the enjoyment is that it is also an alphabet book, though more for those who already have familiarity with their letters.

Each letter introduces you to a fashion trend, and then there is a snippet putting the trend in historical context and often linking it to notable figures. One example is that a gentleman with coat tails stood too near the fireplace, his tails burnt off and a new fashion was born!

Fans of books like Fancy Nancy or Pinkalicious are certain to appreciate this treasure.

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by Scott

Lost Worlds by John Howe

The rich illustrations by John Howe, famous for his depictions of Middle Earth, are well suited for these real and imagined civilizations that have been lost to time, but not our imaginations. With his detailed renderings and compelling summaries, John Howe provides a wonderful introduction to such cities as Troy, Pompeii, and Atlantis, as well as many others. This book will likely stimulate further investigations of these lost worlds, it certainly did for me!

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by Scott