Not bad, but not excellent either. This is disappointing, as Markle's other book, "Outside and Inside Killer Bees" is quite well done.

The assertion that Darwin collected beetles to sell while at Cambridge is almost certainly false. The son of a wealthy gentleman, who supported him with an ample allowance, and not himself afflicted with any very expensive habits, Charles Darwin would have known that to engage in trade was beneath him, and would not have been compelled to do so clandestinely by any sort of financial necessity.

I feel that the author may be confusing Darwin with Wallace in that passage, as Wallace, much poorer and from far lower on the social scale than was Darwin, did make a living for many years as a professional specimen collector.

Some of the phrasing is a bit awkward and misleading. Here is an illustrative bad passage: "Before Darwin people did not believe that animals changed over time." Of course they did, they saw individual animals grow, grow old, and die. The author means species, but can't manage to get it out properly. Another bit of awkward phrasing: "His father decided he should be a clergyman - a religious leader in the Christian church". Looks like the glossary ran out of space, so the author or editors felt they had to gloss "clergyman" in the text and they made a bad job of the gloss. It would probably have been best just to say that his father decided to send him to college instead of medical school.

Each double page spread is one single illustration which covers both pages; the text, of which there is a fair amount, is superimposed on the pages, as with a picture book. There are little side-notes on every page, in boxes. The illustrations themselves are lively and very colourful and constitute the best part of the book.

The chapter headings are excessively punny. "Shake and Bake" is the title of the earthquake chapter. "Home on the Pampas" might be a reference to the phrase "home on the range". Why bother? Will the children recognize the phrase? ( )

The second of Sandra Markle's four-book Explorers series - intended to highlight the zoological discoveries made by famous explorers in history - that I have read, after Animals Marco Polo Saw, this picture-book about Charles Darwin's 19th century voyage, as a naturalist on the HMS Beagle, is informative and engaging. Introducing young readers to a ride range of animals and habitats - from the flamingos of the Argentine pampas, to the sea tortoises of the Galapagos Islands - it succinctly explains how observing these creatures helped Darwin to formulate his theory of evolution (or transmutation, as he called it in the beginning).

Based on the two titles that I have thus far read (I still have Animals Christopher Columbus Saw and Animals Robert Scott Saw to go!), I would say that Markle's series is a fabulous introduction, not just to science or history, but to both, and to the ways that the former has shaped the latter. I like this multidisciplinary approach, and I liked this particular entry in the series, which doesn't skirt controversy - Markle admits that some people still "get angry" about evolution - but also doesn't concentrate on it. Her admirable narrative is complemented by illustrator Zina Saunders' engaging illustrations, making Animals Charles Darwin Saw a book I wholeheartedly recommend to all young scientists and explorers, and to any child interested in Darwin, and his theory of evolution. ( )

This book is effectively drawn, engaging the reader's imagination to place oneself where the narrative is set. Darwin is depicted, accurately, as kind and intellectually curious. The scientific information is simplified for younger readers, but specific with the pronunciation of difficult words given. The controversy over evolution is not scientific, it is cultural and political. The book uses the term "believe in evolution." This is a misunderstanding of scientific principles and devalues the expansive work that the book tries to demonstrated that Darwin accomplished. ( )

An interesting look at the history and story of Charles Darwin, a naturalist who is credited with the theory of evolution. It was controversial back then and is still today. But this book does not push the theory on readers but rather explains the steps Darwin took to come up with his theories. Could be used in multiple ages groups. ( )

Sandra Markle talks about Charles Darwin and his accomplishments, as well as struggles in his life. Markle ( )