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Galapagos George (2014)

by Jean Craighead George(Favorite Author)

4.15 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0060287934 (ISBN13: 9780060287931)

languge

English

genre

Middle Grade & Children's

publisher

HarperCollins

review 1: This is the story of one tortoise, and of many, of their evolution and their extinction. At the beginning, their was Giantess George. In the process of Earth's formation, she and her kin get swept off to sea, only to become stranded on a set of islands, where they need to adapt to their new habitats. Giantess George is fictional, yet her narrative, and those of her descendants that follow, are set within the real circumstances of history. Their evolution is followed by their destruction at the hands of man, and the author is very clear about this fact. Natural disasters led to their evolution, and mankind's presence did them harm. Finally, we come to the last, Lonesome George. While the summary suggests that this is his tale, he features only briefly at the end. Only gener... moreal facts are included to keep the focus on evolution, and how Darwin discovered it in part thanks to the comparison he made between the different tortoises. A summary and additional resources are included in the back. Each image is painted realistically, and with a good amount of detail put into the changing environments. The triumph we feel from the survival of these species turns to sadness at the end. The author tries to mute this reaction with some inspirational words, and for children, it will bring them hope. However, for those that are older, and who realize how many species we are responsible for killing off, or are currently destroying, these words are hollow.
review 2: Instructional as well as entertaining.Jean Craighead George with paintings by Wendell Minor educates the reader in the history and evolution of what are known as the Galapagos Tortoises.From the time after the dinosaurs roamed the earth to Lonesome George living out his final days at the Charles Darwin Research station on Santa Cruz Island, the reader learns about these magnificent mammals. At the end of the story, the reader will find two pages of key terms, resources and a timeline that could be used for further research into the George Tortoises or as a jumping off point for a classroom or home-school project. less

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