Charles Darwin takes an epic adventure in which today is said to be one of the greatest scientific discoveries ever. The book is facts mixed in with a little bit of fiction. Throughout the period of a four year ship ride on the HMS Beagle, the main character, James Kincaid, writes a dairy entry every now and then telling about the finds of Charles Darwin and the fun that was held on the islands they traveled to and from. It is a great short read for young adults and a good book for young readers that have not yet mastered chapter books. The book is full of cool creatures and amazing illustrations from the start of the first page.
Charles Darwin by Alan Gibbons is a book with an exclusive setting of the island of South America. The writer makes the characters pop out of the book so you get the idea of who they were and what they were like. The characters are very likable and are fun to read about what they did and what their life was made up of. It was written in the appropriate manner of first person. I read as though the main character was reading his dairy entries right to me. The book had many strengths, but one of its greatest was its illustrations. They were colorful and vibrant, making it seam as though you were there in that animated world. I really have never read a book like it so I couldnt compare it to anything. I learned a lot while reading Charles Darwin, it is filled with facts. As a chapter book reader, it was more of a burden to read the book. There wasn't a part that really pulled me in because it was so short. If I had to choose whether to recommend it or not I would have to say it matters who you are, a chapter book reader like me, or a short book reader. It would also depend on your preference in general.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Merino, Colorado (CO) United States of America
