Dinosaurs to Chickens: How Evolution Works

DINOSAURS TO CHICKENS: HOW EVOLUTION WORKS is an engaging nonfiction book that presents the basics about evolution for middle grade readers. This colorful book presents some of the reasons of evolutions as well as how animals are classified before going into specific animals and how they evolved.

What I loved: This is an engaging look at evolution and how different animals have developed into what we see today. The images were well-chosen and animals, as well as their ancestors, were illustrated well with a realistic look. Every page is in full color, which is great for young middle grade readers. The paragraphs are easy to follow with a large font used throughout.

A glossary at the back was a nice touch, allowing children to look up definitions of some key terms and words. The classifications of animals and understanding how they evolved was really fascinating, and children will love seeing where the animals they enjoy came from and understand the possible why.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, an index would be helpful for such a large book. The table of contents does capture the main content, however.

Final verdict: DINOSAURS TO CHICKENS: HOW EVOLUTION WORKS is an engaging and colorful nonfiction read, perfect for young middle grade readers who love animals and understanding the world around them.

Dinosaurs to Chickens: How Evolution Works shows 125 animals in various charts that track evolution traits from dinosaurs to the first insects, to chickens, and more in between. The book opens with the tree of evolution that showcases the animals that will be discussed in the book and then it has brief explanations for topics that are connected with evolution. This book is separated into sections for insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This book closes with information on what happens now for evolution, a glossary, and suggestions for additional reading.

What I liked: The pages on each animal provides you with a brief description of the animal before going into the various evolutionary creatures that are associated with each animal. The evolution that the pages take you through showcases the traits that change as the species goes from one animal to the next and how those changes contribute to their survival. There is a brief popup that talks about the animal and includes an image to go along with the information.

The images on each page bring the information to life and are fascinating to see the way each of these species evolves over time. The images are vibrant and work well with the layout of each page. The layout works well and guides your eyes from the left side of the book to the right with various pop outs that are included in between. The layout is logical and allows for the reader to stay engaged with the book the whole time.

Final Verdict: Dinosaurs to Chickens: How Evolution Works is a great book for children who are interested in animals, science, and evolution. This book gives you a glimpse into various animals and is a great starting point for children who may want to learn more after reading this book. Adults will enjoy learning new facts about evolution and the ways various species have evolved over time.