The Human Story: Our Evolution from Prehistoric Ancestors to Today - Hardcover

Grade 5-9--This excellent look at human development goes beyond the basic facts to examine the methods scientists use to learn about our past, the varied theories that have arisen from their work, and the historical and modern implications of evolution. While describing characteristics of various hominids over time, Sloan includes evidence that shows how tools, fossils, artwork, and geographical location have all added to our knowledge of early humans. When two theories conflict, such as the replacement model and the multi-regional model of evolution, the author gives balanced presentations for each side and good insight into how two contrasting ideas can both generate strong support. The final chapter considers the rapid advancements made by modern humans and presents some thought-provoking questions about the possible impacts of genetic manipulation. Illustrations on every page include full-color photographs and drawings, with a good mixture of fossil samples and imagined scenes from the daily lives of our ancestors. Despite the rich illustrative material, there is, unfortunately, no chart showing hominid lineage. Several one- and two-page spreads give closer looks at such topics as tool fossils, genomes, and binomial names. They are set apart from the narrative by either black or textured backgrounds. Overall, the visual presentation is appealing, and combines with the lucid, articulate text to make this a top choice on a needed topic.--Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
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Gr. 8-12. Drawing on evidence from fossils and DNA, this authoritative overview of human evolution goes back 6,000,000 years to a time when humans and chimpanzees had a common ancestor. Then the focus moves to Homo sapiens, a species that has lived on Earth for only 200,000 years. Casual in tone and beautiful in design, with clear color photos, diagrams, and paintings on every page, the large volume is as inviting as a glossy magazine article--but it is no quick read. The science is intense, both the fascinating facts and the theories of paleoanthropology, including how natural selection works, how the body changed and became bipedal, and what recent findings show about where humans started and how they spread across the world. What many high-school readers will find most exciting is how today's cutting-edge technology helps us learn about the prehistoric connections all humans share. Great for classroom discussion. A detailed glossary and a bibliography are appended. Hazel Rochman
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