Reviews (3)

[NO GOOD!]
This book is no good, my students never bring it to class and never crack it open, yet they still manage to recieve mostly A's and B's. Paying somewhat attention in class could help you just as much if not more than reading this nuisance of a book!!!
If it wasn't for the superindendant of our school district this book would have found itself in the dumpster,(...)

Biology Sucks
I'm sorry poor biology teachers but never buy this book or any biology book ever. Biology sucks and should never be taught. So why dont you just quit and think about how your life went wrong. You werent thinking when you decided to become a teacher. That was a big mistake. Hahahaha I laugh at you. You make jack for a paycheck

It [stunk]
If you're a teacher wanting to buy this book, DON'T! It is so heavy, I would find any way I could not to have to shove the stupid thing in my backback. It does not explain things well,and it made freshman year accel. biology MISERABLE! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Misleading at best!
This is the LABORATORY MANUAL, not the biology text book. There is nothing that I can see in the description to indicate this. . ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A planet where men descended from apes?
It takes guts to write a picture book. Putting your work out there to speak for you. The criticism of hundreds of thousands of adults just waiting to tear you apart. It takes even more guts to write a non-fiction picture book. Now you have to deal with parents passing over your story for, oh I dunno, "Mr. Peabody's Apples" because they're afraid that they themselves will be bored. Pompous adults like that. And finally, it takes a kind of bravery most humans would be lucky to possess to write a non-fiction picture book that sports the word, "evolution", on its cover. So please take a moment to mentally applaud the gutsy efforts of one Ms. Lisa Westberg Peters and one Ms. Lauren Stringer for their moxie laden little number, "Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story".

A delicate rendering of Lascaux acrylics on watercolor paper, the story is one of the oldest ones on earth. Peters begins, "All of us are part of an old, old family. The roots of our family tree reach way back to the beginning of life on earth. We've changed a lot since then". Slowly we learn about DNA and the birth of cells in the seas. We hear about oxygen filling the planet and how the seas rose and fell, changing the landscape. About how animals crawled up onto the land and how after an asteroid our particular branch of the family tree survived. Finally, the monkeys evolved, and we evolved out of the monkeys. The book ends with further details for the inquisitive child about each step of the family tree. A helpful timeline follows these facts at the end.

For those human beings that dislike the notion of evolution and prefer a more creation-laden viewpoint, this is not the book for you. It's pretty darn clear in the text that life began 3,800 to 3,600 million years ago. End of story. You will not find a religious note in this book. It's scientifically written and happy to remain that way. Not that the facts presented are full-proof. I may be wrong, but I don't believe the asteroid theory has ever matter-of-factly killed off the dinosaurs as it does here. Also (as more professional reviewers have pointed out) the timeline really does make it look as if it was just a hop, skip, and a jump from single celled organisms to wormlike vertebrates.

On the whole, however, this is a good informative text. Children reading it should be a little older, in order to fully grasp exactly what is being said. For them, however, this book serves as an excellent resource. The pictures are lovely and the facts are mostly on the ball. A lovely addition to any children's evolution library. ... Read more

Book Description

In search of the origin of individuality, world-renowned scientist and author Robert Wilson takes the reader on a tour of the human mind and body. Wilson's exploration of the human body goes beyond cells and anatomy to examine how genes and experience determine who we are.

This brightly colored and vividly designed book takes a new and exciting approach to learning about human beings. What Makes Me Me? is the first children's book to explore how genes, experience, and biology work together to make every person unique. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent --I mean outstanding in every way.
I have two unrelated degrees, and had only high school biology. I use this book for self-study. It is perfect. Its long list of reviewers gave me confidence in its lessons.

I found it plain and understandable. The explanations and definitions could not be made simpler. Superbly illustrated, the book also makes good use of boldface type and color. When a new term is introduced, its pronunciation is given right there, and selected useful etymologies are given in the margins.

It begins with an overview of biology and the basics of scientific method, experimentation, what a hypothesis is, inference and theories, microscopy, etcetera. Then there is a GREAT review of basic chemistry, and the book logically progresses into biochemistry, cell theory, reproduction, and on "up." There are no gaps; everything is built on what came before.

It is concise yet interesting because it cites quick examples. For example, the section on vacuoles explains how these intracellular toxic waste containers can be beneficial to the plant: "For instance, the poisons that certain acacia trees have in their vacuoles provide a defense against plant-eating animals." No chapter is without such examples that cite particular organisms to make a point. Where warranted, there is longer, intelligent discussion of organisms that don't clearly fall on one side of the fence. For example, there is a paragraph on how Volvox (a green algae) exhibits properties of both unicellular and multicellular organisms.

There are interesting ecology sidebars on topics such as rain forests, global warming, and acid rain. Ecology is also not forgotten in the main text.

The questions at the end of each chapter are also well thought out: There are sections of straightforward multiple choice, short answer, and vocabulary questions. Then there is a "Critical Thinking" section with clever, fun questions that require one to reflect on the material rather than just regurgitate answers from rote; these questions sometimes involve material from previous chapters, but are never vague nor require knowledge of something that was not presented before.

It is complete. All 1100 pages considered, I am honestly at a loss for anything unfavorable to say. Too much to list here. It is so well done that I was dumbfounded to see any negative remarks at all!

Learned A lot--But Hated Learning
This book really goes in depth in information on all aspects of Biology. However, as a student, I have found that it is extremely difficult to learn from without the direct aid from a biologist or teacher. The vocabulary is over extravagent for a teaching book, and the section review questions badly organized and tiresome. The pictures and diagrams did help me to learn a lot however, because it combined visual along with analytic learning. Overall, I have learned a lot, but had a hard time learning it. And I may well forget this within a few weeks.

Frustration
This book is not organized logically and provides an inappropriate level of detail in some areas while offering only very basic information in others. As a novice teacher, I find it frustrating. The section and chapter review questions are also too ambiguous. Students have a hard time determining what exaly they mean. I am frustrated by this book. It doesn't work for me or my ninth grade students. I give it two stars because I DO like the writing excercises and "Biology in Progress" sections.

Needs To Be Proofread
The book has some errors in it and is hard to read. Most science textbooks do not read like best-sellers, but this one tends to have some awkward phrasings that should have been adjusted to provide students an easier time of reading the passages. My favorite general biology textbook is still Raven and Johnson's "Biology."

Top of the line in Biology.
This book is amazing. You will know all you need to know of life and beyond with this amazing book. It goes through cells, to genetics, to anatomy, animals, bacteria, disections, maps of organisms such as the human body, animals bodies and etc. This book is top of the line and couldn't get any better. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know anything about biology, or "the study of life". Ha, see what I already learned. ... Read more

Book Description

Reach, Teach, and Assess every student with one superb program.A captivating verbal/visual presentation weaves text and graphics together in a user-friendly, easy-to-grasp format that stimulates students' interest and performance, both in the classroom and on all types of assessment. ... Read more

Book Description

What's the effect of osmosis on a raisin?

How is water transported through plant stems?

What's the best way to grow penicillin?

How are butterflies different from moths?

Now you can discover answers to these and other fascinating questions about biologythe study of living organisms. In Biology for Every Kid, you'll learn how to talk with fireflies, watch bacteria wage war in a glass of milk, discover how to tell the temperature by counting cricket chirps, and find out how an apple and an onion can taste the same.

Each of the 101 experiments is broken down into its purpose, a list of materials, step-by-step instructions, expected results, and an easy to understand explanation. Every activity has been pretested and can be performed safely and inexpensively in the classroom or at home. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A little interest boost for elementary school biology
I reviewed this book in The Home School Manual ================

Projects and activities to teach concepts, terminology, and (according to the author, Janice VanCleave) laboratory methods. This book and the others in the series each describe 101 experiments. For biology they are classified under plants, animals, and humans. Each is presented in a two-page spread with an illustration on the right. The order is logical. By working through the book doing some experiments and reading about the others, one would form significant concepts. An explanation is given for each activity. Growing carrots from carrot tops demonstrates that a plant can grow if it has portions of base, stem, and root, and if it receives food and water.

The explanations are oversimplified in some cases (for "finger monocle" for example). Younger students need simpler explanations, but I believe the scientific principles could be stated more accurately. Also, some of the illustrations could be improved, but basically the book is good.

For a total science program I would recommend a textbook or a number of broad topic books. Individual experiments miss some of the overall themes and some concepts are hard to demonstrate.

I have not seen evolutionary concepts in the book. It and others in the series seem best for about grades 3 through 5. Younger kids could profit from most of the activities. The explanations don't bring out the scientific principles clearly enough for older ones.

Part of a series from John Wiley & Sons. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Amazing Book
My 3 1/2 year old son loves this book! I'm forced to read it to him every day, and he now tells me: 1. "Lymphocytes are the smartest cells and make antibodies that knock out the germs...I want to be an antibody!" 2."Macrophages are garbage collectors" 3. "Virus turn my cells into virus machines" 4. "Fibroblasts pull my cut together"

He is still a little confused about the whole "blast" part of the fibroblast...thinking that they should somehow makes something explode...

Extremely good way to introduce science to the young
I bought this book for my ten year old son. He read it through in one sitting. Actually, he reread it 3 times on the same day. The simple yet interesting text and excellent drawings captured his imagination. It kept him thirsting for more! He wants me to order all of Dr. Balkwill's books which I did. What an excellent way to introduce science to the uninitiated. I hope Dr. Balkwill will continue to write more of the series!

Biology made fun
Cell Wars is a great way to introduce science. It is written in a straightforward manner using easy to understand vocabulary. It describes, in a fun manner, the way the human body fights off bacteria and viruses and tells why we get vaccinations. The illustrations are colorful and fun. The pictures and the story make it fun for both young children and grade school students ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The life of a Honeybee review
This book has great information on all aspects of the honeybee. It talks about the life cycle, the social behavior, body plan, and habitat of the honeybee. It also tells you a little bit about classification. The book isa quick and easy read too. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Biology mess
This biology book is a written fairly well, but it could be better if more thought and organization were put into it! The only problem with it are the review questions and other questions at the end of the chapters. They are poorly written and when you're looking for the answers, they're not really in the section that it was intended for. Instead, the answers are in previous sections or chapters before!! It's a complete nightmare trying to answer them! How do they expect a student to learn from and focus on a section in which you have to stop thinking about it in order to review previous chapters or sections? Be consistent and organized please!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly -- follow the metamorphosis of this familiar backyard creature as it evolves into a delicate flying insect. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Food for the Imagination
Written as if the author is speaking directly to the reader, this wonderful book draws the reader into the world of the butterfly. It does a very appropriate job of explaining the life cycle of the butterfly in terms a preschooler can understand. The illustrations are also quite nice, not too detailed or flowery, not too plain. They complement the simple text very well. Especially nice are the ones near the end of the book of the little girl.

However, there are many nice books for preschoolers about butterflies. This particular book's special quality is in the way it invites the reader to imagine what it's like to be a butterfly. My preschoolers greatly enjoy "acting out" the book, starting as a caterpillar eating it's way out of an egg. The text is perfect for a simple preschooler "play". It gives them a creative way to move and physically explore what they've learned.

The ending to the book is very nice, too. Rather than just stopping once the caterpillar turns into a butterfly, or after explaining the common activities of butterflies, the book draws the reader back to reality. The reader doesn't look like a butterfly; the reader looks like, and is, a human child. The book briefly contrasts the differences between the butterfly and the human, listing good things about being a human.

The final pages list interesting facts about butterflies. Most are just a bit too complex for young preschoolers, but early grade school children should appreciate them. The admonition to not touch a butterfly's wings is well done and a nice way to end the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Totally Incomprehensible
I studied from "Biology: Visualizing Life" in my Biology class last year and I absolutely hated it. First of all, my teacher couldn't teach Biology and relied on the book to tell us what we needed to know. Therefore, my performance on the tests was directly reliant on how well I understood the way that the book presented the material. I took the book home and tried to read the assigned chapters. I read them and reread them until I got a headache. I simply didn't understand. The book is very bad at introducing new terminology and explaining foreign concepts. It never gives background information or slowly eases its way into new lessons -- the material is presented in a very matter-of-fact, dry, to-the-point manner. This may be appropriate for research writing, but it is certainly not appropriate for teaching Biology students. If you are interested in actually learning biology, I would not recommend this textbook because I didn't learn anything from it. This book is supposed to be aimed at students, but if students can't understand it, then it's a colossal failure. Schools and students alike would be wise to avoid this textbook at all costs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here is a fascinating, detailed look at the life of Charles Darwin: naturalist, geologist, and independent thinker. In his author's note, Caldecott Honor illustrator Peter Sis (Starry Messenger, Tibet: Through the Red Box) writes that Darwin always regretted not learning how to draw. However, he could and did take "dense and vivid" written notes, from which Sis drew his inspiration. Readers will spend hours poring over the gorgeous, intricately crafted pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations depicting layer upon layer of Darwin’s life as he developed his theories about the origins of life and natural selection. Tidbits from Darwin’s extensive and legendary voyage on the Beagle, notes on Galapagos tortoises, bloodsucking benchuca bugs, and Toxodon skeletons, and particulars from his family life intermingle with each other--just as in real life. Crammed with a veritable muddle of diary entries, cameo portraits, diagrams, natural illustrations, maps, timelines, a gatefold spread, and narrative divided into "Public Life," "Private Life," and "Secret Life" blocks of text, The Tree of Life will certainly be overwhelming to some readers; for other, less linear thinkers, it will be sheer, chaotic delight. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

To life!
If you are at all familiar with Peter Sis, then you linger under the incorrect impression that you know what to expect from him. Carefully researched subjects. Illustrations containing infinitesimally small people, places, and things. Engaging and entertaining plots. I tell you now, ladies and gents, "Tree of Life" takes all of this and multiplies it. Quadruples it. You have never seen a picture book like this before. When you are dealing with a book that cares to discuss the origins of life itself, you need an author/illustrator comfortable with details. In this, Sis is your man.

This is a summarization and encapsulation of the life of Mr. Charles Robert Darwin. The book begins like so:

"Charles Darwin opens his eyes for the first time! He has no idea that he will (a) start a revolution when he grows up, (b) sail around the world on a five-year voyage, (c) spend many years studying nature, and (d) write a book that will change the world".

From here on in we watch Darwin learn and grow. The text is separated, initially, into two parts. One portion is in bold and discusses the facts of Darwin's life. An italicized portion below this talks about Charles's passions and desires. Up above we see little images and factoids strewn about the page willy-nilly, giving us a better sense of the times and people involved in the naturalist's life. This form and style goes out the window when Darwin joins up with the Beagle. Suddenly the pages become drawings of creatures and sights. There is a magnificent two-page spread of boxes, each one carrying an interesting fact, animal, moment, or image that Darwin encountered. It's as if his very experiences have been cataloged for the reader's viewing pleasure. Eventually Darwin returns and as he does so the pages themselves return to the previous layout. Now, however, Darwin's life has been divided into three different parts. He has a public life, a private life, and a secret (read evolutionary) life. Every individual life is outlined on each page and as we read on we understand how a single person's dreams can be affected by their personal and private triumphs and catastrophies. When, "On the Origin of the Species" is published we find a full pull-out four page spread encompassing the enormity of this publication. Images on the pages become less straightforward and more dreamlike. At long last, accompanying a vision of a solitary Magritte-like Darwin surrounded by a clan of death's head hawk moths are the words, "Charles Darwin died on April 19, 1882, and was buried in Westminster Abbey".

According to the book's author/illustrator, Darwin was, himself, unable to draw. So rather than sketch the wonders he saw while on the Beagle, the naturalist would describe his visions with great detail. In this way, Sis has become Darwin's right hand. It is impossible to flip through this book and not be amazed at the intricacy of the project. Sis is almost a pointillist at times, his Seurat-like dots forming everything from the galleys of a ship to thousands of tiny houses in London. A child reading this book could pore over a single page for hours, interpreting and reinterpreting each digression and off-hand comment. Honestly, you've never seen a book like this one before. The image that stands out most prominently in my mind is that of Darwin astride a giant rock dove that is made up of a thousand domesticated descendents.

Which brings us to the idea of a children's book concerned with evolution in the first place. "The Tree of Life" is hardly alone in this respect. For example, the ambitious "Our Family Tree" by Lisa Westberg Peters is far more direct in voicing the facts of evolution than this book in many respects. Here, Sis seems to avoid controversy as much as possible. The spread that describes every chapter and thought that went into the making of "On the Origin of the Species" is accompanied by the caveat, "Darwin did not say that God had not created life on earth. What he said was that creation did not happen all at once". Take that. Some time is spent examining the Bishop Samuel Wilberforce's objections and the Great Oxford Debate of 1860, but it is given far less time or energy than the book's page on, say, the Galapagos Islands. I would have liked some explanations on why some people didn't (and still do not) like Darwin's theories. Even a cursory explanation of the opposition wouldn't have been inappropriate considering the subject matter. Alas, here Sis is lacking.

All this notwithstanding, this is a fine piece of kiddie lit. If you remain unconvinced and require just a little more information about this book's fine nature, I merely direct you to the endpapers. In most picture books, the endpapers in the front of the book match and duplicate the endpapers at the back. Yet even here, Sis has not skimped. From the evolving feet of horses to the hand of Michaelangelo's God reaching towards Adam's, these pages are all individual and unique, making them just as important as any other portion of the book. I shudder to think what will happen to them when this book comes out in paperback. Though some will argue that this book is too advanced for children, challenge this statement. Test it for yourself. Any child that likes detail, precision, and nature will at least enjoy portions of this book. In a word - fabulous.

Darwin knew his ideas would be problematic for society
Although this book targets elementary school libraries, adults of all ages and persuasions will find it riveting. Tree of Life recounts Darwin's childhood from two points of view: his own and his father's. Terrific art work of various media take readers from the naturalist's youth to his long years of travel aboard the Beagle, where his then revolutionary ideas about the origin of species took root. He knew early on that publication of his theories would create a maelstrom. The unique pictorial presentation of this material is nearly as revolutionary as Darwin's thought processes. Though chronologically linear, it feels bold and sweeping in the process of presenting so much information in so small a space. It's a spectacular, visually exciting intro to Darwin's ideas of the natural world. You feel as though you're inside the great man's brain.

Will reach ages 8 and up
Tree Of Life is the complex biography of Charles Darwin will reach ages 8 and up: those with good reading skills attracted to pictures. From views of Darwin as a schoolboy to reviews of his naturalist theories, this uses many intricate drawings to cover Darwin's achievements - no bright colors here, just facts and images paired with solid text.

powerful introduction to Charles Darwin
Naturalist student Charles Darwin spent five-years exploring remote locales in the Pacific as part of the voyage of the Beagle. Darwin kept detailed notes that documented all he saw. However, though his writings about the trek are incredible in scope, no drawings accompanied Darwin's wealth of material. Peter Sis fills the void by providing a stunning pictorial of Darwin's diary, journal, and other writings that will leave the audience in awe while taking hours to look at one overwhelmingly detailed page at a time.

This reviewer and her spouse spent an hour a day over the past few weeks fascinated by this tribute. Though intended for the elementary school crowd readers of all ages will appreciate THE TREE OF LIFE: CHARLES DARWIN as a powerful introduction to one of the most influential individuals of the last two centuries. This tome makes the perfect family gathering as adults and children can share the fascination as Mr. Sis shows a picture is worth a thousand words (and $18.00).

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of the best books I've ever owned
My parents bought me this book in hardcover about ten years ago, and it has been indispensible. It covers a broad enough base of information so well, and with enough depth, that it has been a constant and indispensible reference for me through GCSE science in the UK, high school chemistry in the US, and even sometimes during my undergrad chemistry and physics. The illustrations are wonderful, and the explainations lucid. I would definitely recommend this for anyone with a child in school, or anyone who wants to look at a bit of basic science.

Absolutely brilliant.
About 15 years ago, as a 9 year old, I read the three books that make up this Dictionary of Science (the Biology, Physics and Chemistry ones). I was completely captivated by them, and read them over and over again. The science is pitched at exactly the right level for children: the colourful illustrations and short sections retain a child's attention. I went on to take biology, physics and chemistry A-levels at age 17, and went on to study Medicine at Cambridge University in England. Obviously there was more to this achievement than the Usborne books I read as a child, but I honestly do attribute much of my initial interest to them.

This book is excellant, great illustrations!!!!
This book is a wonderful source of science information, the colurful illustrtaions help explain the theorys that are explained in the book. It is a book for all levels. It is not just a dictionary but a true sience resource. ... Read more

Book Description

The brain is the control center for everything from memories to movement, eyesight to emotions. This incredible computer processes messages from billions of microscopic cells called neurons, which link up to form nerves. Covering every inch of the body, nerves can carry messages from your fingertip to your brain and back at speeds of up to four hundred feet per second. With stunning full-color photographs and a fascinating text, award-winning author Seymour Simon continues his fantastic journey through the human body. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Brain : Our Nervous System.
Excellent health/well being book with a great step by step introduction to the brain, its parts, how it works and the memory. The pictures are the best part. Contains excellent color illustrations and will be of interest to students from the 4th grade through the 9th grade. It's also a recommended read for the teachers. ... Read more