Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story

Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story
Average customer rating:

Absolutly fasinating

Beautiful

What a long, strange trip it's been

Excellent book for "Reality-Based" Education

Evolution simplified

Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story
Lisa Westberg Peters
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books
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Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution

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Darwin and Evolution for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities (For Kids series)

ASIN: 0152017720

Book Description

All of us are part of an old, old family. The roots of our family tree reach back millions of years to the beginning of life on earth. Open this family album and embark on an amazing journey. You'll meet some of our oldest relatives--from both the land and the sea--and discover what we inherited from each of them along the many steps of our wondrous past.
Complete with an illustrated timeline and glossary, here is the story of human evolution as it's never been told before.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutly fasinating .......2007-06-28

I just adore this book. The content does not read like a science introduction at all, but as a family story. Kind of a big-nose-from-Aunt-Tilly story, but way broadened to include our ancestors. My 5 year old was almost as transfixed as I was by where we picked up parts of ourselves. What a wonderful discovery book which enforces oneness with all life. The illustrations are outrageous.

Beautiful .......2007-06-15

My daughter loves this book. She is 4 years old and is able to relate to the story and even points out parts that she has in common with the organisms in the book. The book is good at inspiring more questions about the evolutionary theory. Where the book leaves off I can fill in with what I have studied. Telling the story of evolution to very young children is not easy. It can be tricky to walk the line between being creative enough to captivate a child and still being scientifically accurate. The most easily understood part of this book is that it shows all life on this planet came from the same place, and for a 4 year old that is a good start. I would have purchased this book or one like when my 7 year old was a baby if I knew that someone was thoughtful and smart enough to write a children's book on evolution. The author, illustrator, and publisher of this book deserve an award for their wonderful efforts in helping very young children learn about evolution.

What a long, strange trip it's been.......2006-04-16

This beautifully illustrated picture book attempts to explain the evolutionary journey from single-celled entities to the remarkably diverse human race. With short sentences and no more than two brief paragraphs per page -- and sometimes only one or two sentences -- the book traces evolution from the single-cells to multi-celled beings to scaly, finny being to salamander-like creatures ... and so on through to hominids (my word, not theirs) and humans. Each step of the journey is described in the first person plural ("we still had scales" or "on the outside, we looked like hairy lizards"), which brings me to my primary complaint with the book. The language is beautiful and the illustrations are exquisite, but the concept of evolution just doesn't reduce so well. Even though the author emphasizes that these changes took place over millenia, kids just aren't able to grasp that kind of time frame (heck, adults have a hard time with it, too!). It may seem simply too fantastical for a child to accept or understand that humans evolved (i.e., were once) from "squishy...soft..worms." When presented in this reductionist fashion, the scientific concept of evolution appears more magical or made up than any fairy tale and certainly less believable than any creation story. Or maybe that's the point...that evolution is another creation story?

Excellent book for "Reality-Based" Education.......2005-10-26

A great introductory book for young kids on the topic of evolution.

Evolution simplified.......2005-09-23

Evolution is often a curricular hot potato. For those whose schools are reluctant to bring up the subject, this is the book for you. The text is simple and straightforward, accompanied by colorful, oversized illustrations. Our Family Tree is an ideal way to round out your child's understanding of scientific views on the origin of our 'family tree'.

Average customer rating:

Enchanting!
My 8 year old loves this book!
A Must-Have for Every Family's Library
Great book
4 1/2* The Remembrance of Trees Past,

Our Tree Named Steve
Alan Zweibel
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0142407437

Book Description

Dear Kids, A long time ago, when you were little, Mom and I took you to where we wanted to build a house. . . . I remember there was one tree, however, that the three of you couldnÂ't stop staring at. . . .

After the family spares him from the builders, Steve the tree quickly works his way into their lives. He holds their underwear when the dryer breaks down, heÂ's there when Adam and Lindsay get their first crushes, and heÂ's the centerpiece at their outdoor family parties. With a surprising lack of anthropomorphizing, this is a uniquely poignant celebration of fatherhood, families, love, and change.

Customer Reviews:

Enchanting!.......2007-09-20

Enchanting, charming, and SWEET! We have an equally wonderful tree in our front yard, which has held a swing, provided shade, as well as a home to a family of squirrels that have been with us for years (much to our dog's amusement). Although we have never thought about naming our tree we have, after reading this heartwarming book, decided to name our tree. Announcing for the first time ever in print, our big old maple tree, MAY!

My 8 year old loves this book!.......2007-05-06

My 8 year old checked this book out at the school library and had to have it. She read it over and over! Good book for any family that may be dealing with the loss of something or someone special.

A Must-Have for Every Family's Library.......2007-05-06

In a perfect world children would never have to experience the pain of loss. But, of course, this is not a perfect world, and just like their adult counterparts, youngsters need help coping when they lose someone they love. Be it that pet hamster who meets with an untimely (and usually slightly suspicious) end, a beloved grandparent who passes away, or the giant tree in the family's backyard that is cut down after providing so many years of comfort to those who hung from its limbs and took shelter under its shade- we all need help getting our children through such rough times. "Our Tree Named Steve" is the perfect book for such times.

Written in the form of a tender letter from a father to his three children this book teaches children about the importance of loving, to their fullest capacity, those who impact their lives; and then, when that most precious person is gone physically, embracing that same love, and, most importantly, feeling empowered by that love- perpetuating it so to speak. This book reminds its readers, both young and not-so young, that once someone has taken up residence in our hearts, they exist there eternally. Perhaps, in a different, less tangible form as the end of the book suggests- but they reside there nonetheless.

An obvious departure from the more adult-oriented comedy writing for which he is most recognized, Alan Zweibel has written a children's book that is entertaining, thought-provoking, and even a bit spiritual in its universal theme. But despite the heavy subject matter, the book is written with a softness and gentility that is soothing to children. It's also quite funny- the line "... and whenever our dryer broke down, he (Steve, the tree) held our underwear with pride" will undoubtedly make every child giggle because `underwear' is always funny! The illustrations that accompany Mr. Zweibel's thoughtful text are both beautiful and comical, and I simply love the colors David Catrow used. They jump off the page.

I highly recommend this book- it is one that should be accessible on the family bookshelf at all times for those days when your child needs some comforting... heck, it'll probably provide some solace to a few grown-ups, too.

Great book.......2007-03-18

My first graders loved this book and they noticed some characters from other book that Catrow illustrated show up in this story. It made them sad at the end.
For adults, it makes you think about childhood memories,

4 1/2* The Remembrance of Trees Past,.......2005-09-29

This sometimes poignant story focuses on the long-term intersections of family life and nature (here, a tree named "Steve"), and mixes humor and pathos appropriate for toddlers to early elementary school age kids. While there are some minor flaws that a good editor might have corrected, the narrative and (especially) the illustrations tell an original story about nature's centrality in our development and our memories.

The story line is in the form of a letter from a father to his three grown-up kids, describing how "a long time ago, when you were little, Mom and I took you to where we wanted to build a house for us to live in." This information would be obvious and sound a little redundant if really written to three grown-up children. Although very talented, Zweibel doesn't completely resolve the difficult problem of writing a children's story through the modus operandi of a letter for grown-ups. Still, Zweibel captures the power and appeal of reminiscence as "Dad" recounts realistic details such as two-year old Sari's calling out "Steve" as a mispronunciation of Steve, and the tree's increasing importance to the entire family:

"He quickly worked his way into your lives as a swing holder, target, third base, hiding place, jump-rope turner... and whenever our dryer broke down, he held our underwear with pride."

The latter phrase once again shows the primacy of the book's audience over the letter's audience--the grown-up children. While this is understandable and even laudable (shouldn't the reader come first?), it makes the letter-writing device seem a bit manipulative. Rather than being profound and transcendental, the tone seems a bit expedient and overly sentimental. This is particularly the case on the two-page spread showing Kirby the dog sniffing the stump where Steve once stood, a victim of disease and a recent storm. Against a monochromatic purple background that practically resembles the burning of Atlanta in "Gone With The Wind," we read in Dad's letter:

"...even in his final moments, when he could have fallen on our house, Sari's swings, Kirby's house, or Mom's garden, Steve performed his last trick and protected all of us to the very end, and friends like this are hard to find."

It's some 20 or so years later, and Sari's swings are still up and Dad talks to his grown-ups kids about Steve's "tricks"? This is a bit much, and seems antithetical to the book's theme of change. Furthermore, time seems to change unevenly in "Steve's" neck of the woods. Years later, the house looks much the same as it did when the family first moved there. The two older children do begin to look like teenagers, but young Sari's picture is ill-defined and static.

Still, Zweibel touches upon important and difficult issues of discovery, change, destruction, and renewal. More impressively, he seems to have struck a chord with his adult audience about the sometimes forgotten importance of memory and personal meaning. (Read the reviews here, in which people often mention a tree or other well-loved and often used natural object from their childhood.) I also liked the conclusion in which Steve's remnants make up a new tree house in a new tree.

Although there are the necessary comical interludes featuring the mugging dog. David Catrow's pencil and watercolor illustrations have the look of memory. In the best pictures, the foggy, muted colors recall a fondly remembered past, and some of the pictures impart a mythic stature to the beloved tree. For adults, "Steve" symbolizes a past to which we cannot fully return; for children, Steve is the embodiment of the joy, the intimacy, and the unpredictability of nature. A book with special poignancy after the recent Gulf Coast floods, its appeal seems to transcend Zweibel and Catrow's material.

Average customer rating:

Family Tree Book
Detailed Description of Book
Makes A Great Wedding Gift
A Good Place to Start
Thorough for recording geneology in one place, has faults

Our Family Tree
Julie Hausner
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Our Family Tree: A History of Our Family
Our family history
History of Our Family
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Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0890091366

Customer Reviews:

Family Tree Book.......2007-04-30

I found this book for a beginner quite helpful however, given that my research is already quite extensive essentially i have too much infomration for the book to hold. The book holds up to Great, Great, Great grandparents. Unfortuantely, i need a lot more room at this early stage of research and need to look for another book which holds more information. If you have a lot of research prior to the purchase of this book i would not buy it however, if all you have to start with is your grandparents then it most certainly is of value providing great tips on how to conduct research etc.

Detailed Description of Book.......2006-04-13

When I first got this book, I'll admit that I was overwhelmed. Documenting your family to get every single mother or father down the line is intimidating. I haven't written anything in this book because I want to make sure I have enough information to put inside it. I'd hate to fill up a page or two and then stop because I was unable to find anything more.

When you start the book, it begins with "Our Family" where you write down your name along with your spouse's name and the information of when/where the wedding ceremony took place. If you're single and have no children, it's okay to put your parents in and use them as the starting family.

The next following pages are for simple information about the Husband, the Wife, and a page where you list the children and their birth information. After that is a page for Grandchildren and Descendants.

Then it gets to the Family Tree part. You fill in information about you and your spouse and then it branches off to husband's parents, wife's parents, the grandparents of both and it keeps going for 3 more generations.

That kind of scared me. The family tree tends to get a bit hairy. What comes next is what intimidates me.

After that is the section where it focuses on the Husband's Ancestral chart. It starts with information about the husband (Name, Birth, Marriage, Death/Burial, Occupation, Special Interests). Then it branches off to his parents, the parents of his parents, and keeps going for 3 more generations. All in the same format except for the last 2 generations where it all seems squished together.

The next section is about the Husband's family. You list his brothers and sisters (Up to 9 entries), their spouses and children (the children entry is just one small line!).

What confuses me is that the page where you record this information is small while the very next page is a full page about Legal Guardians. However, it's very easy to use this Legal Guardians page to list the children of the husband's siblings if you wish to.

The next section is the Husband's Parents' Family. This page is where you list the husband's father's siblings, spouses, and children. Again, a full-sized Legal Guardians page right next to it, which you can use to write any children that couldn't fit on the small page.

And it tends to repeat. The sections are as follows: Husband's mother's siblings, children, and spouses. Husband's Grandfather's (Father's Side) siblings, etc. Husband's Grandmother's (Father's Side) siblings, etc. Husband's Grandfather's (Mother's Side) siblings, etc. Husband's Grandmother's (Mother's side) siblings, etc.

Then the last part of the section is just Husband's Great Grandparents siblings, spouses, and children. It doesn't split up into mother's or father's sections like previously though. It is all squished together on the page and you'll have to indicate which come from which (and I think it gets confusing). And also there's a legal guardians page right next to it if you need more room.

Then, it repeats all over again for the Wife (Ancestral Chart and Family information).

The next following sections are Citizenship Records (Name, Emigrated From, To, Date), Weddings (Names, Date, Place), Religious Activities (Name, Ceremony or Occasion, Godparents or Sponsors, Date & Place), Our Places of Worship, In Memoriam, Our Home (You put in the full address and the dates of when the house was purchased and when you moved out, as well as any extra information about it), Where Our Ancestors Have Lived, Schools and Graduations (Name, "School, College, or University", Dates of Attendance, Certificate or Degree), Clubs and Organizations (Name, Organization, "Activity, Award, Office Held", Date), Companies We Have Worked For or Owned (On the last page is a small section for Social Security Numbers), Military Service Records (EIGHT pages for this section!), Special Friends, Our Pets, Family Automobiles (This'll be amusing to put down information. I remember the dinky red stationwagon that my parents drove in the early 80's.), Favorite Things (One is a HIS-HERS page and the other is a CHILDREN page), Collections and Heirlooms, Favorite Family Sports, Favorite Family Hobbies, Family Vacations, Family Reunions, Family Traditions, Events to Remember, Oral Family History (Stories that family members have told and it encourages you to write them down or they'll become lost.), Extraordinary Events We Have Survived and Overcome, Illnesses (Name, "Illness, Operation", "Hospital, Doctor", Date), Vital Statistics (This is real detailed. There's separate HIS, HERS, and Children sections. Height, Weight, Hair Color, Eye Color, Suit Size, Blouse Size, Shirt size, Waist, Shoe Size, Hat Size, Ring Size, Other Sizes, Color Preference, Toiletries Preference.).

And at last, there's the Photography section. There are a couple of pages to randomly glue pictures to them.

Some sections tend to be extremely long but I imagine if you wanted to, you can always put extra information onto certain pages if they weren't being used. I think this book can be extremely helpful and it's definitely something that you can pass down for future descendants to look back on. I know a lot of people think that our present time is rather boring but imagine it 100 years ago. I'm sure the people of that time thought it was boring yet here we are wondering what it was like for them.

Makes A Great Wedding Gift.......2005-07-09

I have been giving these books as wedding gifts for years, along with the obligatory china place setting or crystal stemware and the couples always rave about the book the most. It is very detailed and something the whole family can work on together. An inexpensive gift, but the end result is priceless!!!

A Good Place to Start.......2004-08-08

This book is an excellent place to start organizing your genealogical research. The format provided by the book is helping me to see the areas in which I need more information. I plan to use the book as a guide when I begin interviewing other family members. The book does provide helpful information about gealogical research on the last few pages.

It is true that some sections could have been better. If you have information on generations prior to your Great, Great, Great Grandparents, there is not space provided for them on the tree diagrams. Too much space is given for legal guardians. There is not enough space for children and grandchildren of the starting couple. One of the other reviewers mentioned that the book assumes that the first entry in the book will be a couple. This is true, but you can chose to start the book from your parents' generation if you are not part of a couple.

Basically, this is a good starting reference book. Once I've used it to conduct my family interviews, I plan to load the information from it into one of the genealogy PC programs.

Thorough for recording geneology in one place, has faults.......2002-11-26

This is a fill-in-the-blank style book with room to include a husband's and wifes ancestors and children as well as other relevant information. However, in places it seems to include too much room for some things.....like a full page of lines for 'legal guardians' while only one line(quite small) for children of the husband or wife and thier siblings. Since that page is next to the 'legal guardians' page I was at least able to make use of it for the run off of listing children of those with more than two kids.

It is a convenient book to take along to family gatherings to record information and fill in the blanks. I think this is a good book to start recording family history and geneology, but I would prefer another book for a completed book. In the meantime, I don't mind a few scratch-outs of mistakes in this one.

The Illustrations are early american/civil war era style. Under the "Religious Acticities" section it shows a catholic baptism of a baby and a cathedral. So, if you're not christian it doesn't really apply.

Our Family Tree: A History of Our Family
Average customer rating:

Not a great picture album.

My family tree book.

Family tree book

Nice Book

Our Family Tree: A History of Our Family

Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Genealogy | Reference | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Our family history

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ASIN: 0785819339

Customer Reviews:

Not a great picture album........2007-08-06

This book should work well to organize family history data. I took off a star because I would have liked more room for pictures when writing about each relative. There are a few picture pages in the back.

My family tree book........2007-08-01

I was looking for more copies of this hardcover book to continue doing my family history. I found it here and I very satisfied!

Family tree book.......2007-05-11

This is such a nice book to pass down to future generations. It has pages to fill out for both sides of your family, going back 6 generations! It has also has pages to fill out family info on your homes, citizenship records, weddings, religious activities, In Memoriam, schools and graduation dates,clubs and organizations, companies worked for, military records, friends, oral family history and more. This would be a great book to start when one is a young adult and filling it out a little at a time. That is the only downside to this book, trying to find the time to fill it out!

Nice Book.......2006-08-06

This is a very nice book for the family geneologist to record their research findings in. Crisp pages work best with ballpoint pen rather then marker-type. Plenty of headings such as church, first homes, family traditions to fill out. A good buy.

Average customer rating:

Our Tree House

Manufacturer: School Specialty Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Class Trip
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The Mixed Up Morning
Goodnight, Little Critter
Helping Mom

ASIN: 1577688333

Book Description

Mercer Mayer’s charming illustrations and Little Critter characters have warmed the hearts of children for over 20 years. Now Little Critter and his friends and family are helping kids develop reading skills on the pages of these delightful first readers.

Each book contains an originals and engaging Little Critter story about a situation that most kids will find familiar—a trip to the zoo, a day at camp, a class outing. These stories offer more than just entertainment. They are based on McGraw-Hill’s respected educational SRA Open Court Reading Program used in schools all over the country. Skill-based activities and a word list at the end of each book help reinforce learning.

Average customer rating:

good but confusing

Our Family Tree Record Book

Manufacturer: DK Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Our Family Tree: A History of Our Family
Our family history

ASIN: 0681763051

Product Description

Fill-in pages let you record details of every member of your family--dates and places of birth, character traits, achievements, occupations and favorite pastimes. Spaces for adding photographs. Practical guidelines on how to research your family history. Approximately 9 X 11 inches. Comes in protective cardboard sleeve with same illustrations as cover.

Customer Reviews:

good but confusing.......2005-07-27

When i bought the book I started writing in it. I did not realize that each cover to the book is for each different side of the family so I bought a new one instead of crossing out a bunch of names.

Earth & Me: Our Family Tree : Nature's Creatures (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

Earth & Me: Our Family Tree : Nature's Creatures (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
J. Patrick Lewis
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1584690313

Book Description

The last in a trilogy of Earth's features and habitats, this book explores earth's amazing inhabitants. J. Patrick Lewis weaves his poetry into conversations between pairs of creatures in each major habitat. Readers will gain a sense of the network of nature, conjuring respect for nature's creatures everywhere. The poignant relationship between the animals is powerfully captured in Christopher Canyon's illustrations.

Family Tree: The History of Our Family (06628)

Average customer rating:

Family Tree: The History of Our Family (06628)
Rockwell
Manufacturer: Craftique Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0865222509

Average customer rating:

Not put together well
Millennium Family Tree Record Book

Our Family Tree Record Book
Dk Publishing
Manufacturer: DK Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

Conflict Management | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Blank Books | Journals | Accessories | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0789420767

Book Description

A special keepsake for a special time in history, DK's Family Tree Record Book provides a unique way to both celebrate and preserve family history for generations to come. The perfect gift for parents, grandparents, or anyone who wants to record their family's genealogy, history, and traditions into the coming millennium, the Family Tree Record Book features fill-in family trees, space for photos and mementos, and even a special introduction celebrating the institution of the family -- all handsomely presented in a special silver-foil slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

Not put together well.......2005-01-23

My biggest problem is that it assumes the record keeper is female. The book is organized for "Your Family", and "Your Husband's Family". All throughout the book, they do not consider the possiblity that the record keeper just may possibly be a man.
The book is quite thin, and I found it very quirky that it asks your family members to fill out a section entitled, "first paycheck". I gave up filling this book out, and tossed it.

Millennium Family Tree Record Book.......2000-12-11

This is a very simplified format to record a family lineage. Great for children or for those who don't want to include a lot of detail. Spaces are provided to write family names in titled areas on each sheet.

Average customer rating:

Our Family Tree: A Keepsake Book

Manufacturer: New Seasons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 078534604X

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