The Children’s Book Review | August 19, 2017
Life on Earth
Written by Heather Alexander
Illustrated by Andrés Lozano
Board Book: 16 pages
Age Range: 3-7
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions (2017)
ISBN: 978-1-84780-906-3 (Human Body)
ISBN: 978-1-84780-905-6 (Farm)
What to Expect: Science, Interactive, Educational.
Which parts of the body come in pairs? What do ribs do? What does the brain look like? What is a hay bale? Where does wool come from? There’s a lot to find out about the world, whether you are wondering about the farms that produce our food, or the amazing machine that is our body; as the Life on Earth series demonstrates, asking questions, observing the world, and analyzing what you see is the best way to learn!
There are so many good things to say about these volumes. The sturdy construction comes top of my list – I love the more detailed DK science books, but for my two- and three-year old boys, their flimsy pages are a bit of a non-starter. The thick board pages of these books, however, stand up nicely to the abuses of a younger readership, and the text and images are likewise simple enough for a younger reader to follow, making this a unique find: a genuinely informative book simple enough for a preschooler. Andrés Lozano’s illustrations are a particular asset in this regard: the bright colors and simple lines are deceptively detailed, and render his subject matter fun and engaging as well as informative – one of my particular favorites is the rendition of the lungs in Human Body, complete with a stripy yellow and green windpipe. I particularly like the fact the diversity represented by these images, with different genders and skin-colors unobtrusively represented. The lift-up flaps feature a question on the outside, with the answer hidden in text below, allowing inquisitive readers to interact with the material, testing their own knowledge as they read. Overall, these books are a satisfying and enjoyable introduction for young readers to the scientific processes of observation, questioning, and analysis.
Available Here:
Available Here:
About the Author
HEATHER ALEXANDER was born in New York City, and now lives in New Jersey. She began her career editing children’s books such as Goosebumps and Fear Street, before moving into writing. She has written over 40 books for children.
About the Illustrator
ANDRES LOZANO is an illustrator from Madrid, who currently lives in London. He lists his inspirations as nature, architecture, Franco-Belgian comics and film noir. His work is characterised by overlayed colors, textures and strong line work. He has worked with The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Sunday Times, and Anorak.
Life on Earth: A New Non-Fiction Series for Children was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like Life on Earth: A New Non-Fiction Series for Children by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Board Books, Farm Animals, Farm Life, Human Body Books, Lift-the-Flap Books, and Science.
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