Reviews for History of the world in comics

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From the Big Bang through the "Time of the Humans," this breakneck ride through Earth's history is divided into six major epochs (e.g., "The Paleozoic," "The Cenozoic"). Each double-page spread focuses generally on one or two geological or evolutionary developments, with a chatty paleontologist, "a storyteller," and two kids providing information and banter. The comic-panel illustrations are relatively uncluttered and easy to follow. Because humans are such a recent presence (evolutionarily speaking), most of the book's discussion focuses on events from 4.6 billion to twelve thousand years ago -- giving readers a good sense of the scale of time (a "geologic time scale" is helpful). A glossary and index are appended. (c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.


Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A visual history of our planets long career as a nursery for living things. A brown-skinned paleontologist in a lab coat patiently guides three chattering listeners through the ages from Earths fiery formation through climate and other geophysical changes to the present days sixth period of mass extinction. As she goes, she rolls out polysyllabic terms and nomenclature at a rate that may leave casual readers struggling to keep up but will undoubtedly elevate the pulses of devoted young STEM-winders. Side comments from her audience add common-language context (The Carboniferous is the age of coal one says, while the other concludes, and also the age of roaches!). Though blocks of narrative crowd Barmans panels, her cartoon portraits of alien-looking sea life evolving first into extinct, pop-eyed plant eaters and toothy, slavering predators, then finally familiar creatures such as us, flesh out the fossil story in lighthearted but reasonably accurate detail. (Lighthearted except for one scene of a poached rhino with its horn bloodily removed, that is.) Animals hog the spotlight, and a specious claim that all stars have planets mars the closing vision of new kinds of life arising both on our own world and elsewhere. Still, this French import offers an overview as coherent as it is chronologically broadparticularly for readers not intimidated by encounters with plesiadapiforms, perissodactyls, Gomphoteria, and like sesquipedalia. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-15.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 77% of actual size.) Readers with a less-than-burning interest may struggleor find that interest kindled by the end. (partial glossary, index) (Informational picture book. 10-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.


Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A visual history of our planet’s long career as a nursery for living things. A brown-skinned paleontologist in a lab coat patiently guides three chattering listeners through the ages from Earth’s fiery formation through climate and other geophysical changes to the present day’s “sixth period of mass extinction.” As she goes, she rolls out polysyllabic terms and nomenclature at a rate that may leave casual readers struggling to keep up but will undoubtedly elevate the pulses of devoted young STEM-winders. Side comments from her audience add common-language context (“The Carboniferous is the age of coal…” one says, while the other concludes, “…and also the age of roaches!”). Though blocks of narrative crowd Barman’s panels, her cartoon portraits of alien-looking sea life evolving first into extinct, pop-eyed plant eaters and toothy, slavering predators, then finally familiar creatures such as us, flesh out the fossil story in lighthearted but reasonably accurate detail. (“Lighthearted” except for one scene of a poached rhino with its horn bloodily removed, that is.) Animals hog the spotlight, and a specious claim that all stars have planets mars the closing vision of new kinds of life arising both on our own world and elsewhere. Still, this French import offers an overview as coherent as it is chronologically broad…particularly for readers not intimidated by encounters with plesiadapiforms, perissodactyls, Gomphoteria, and like sesquipedalia. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-15.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 77% of actual size.) Readers with a less-than-burning interest may struggle…or find that interest kindled by the end. (partial glossary, index) (Informational picture book. 10-12) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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