Facchini re-creates a day in the life of the earliest humans, based on archaeological discoveries. Students of human evolution may appreciate the archival material, maps, diagrams, and illustrations, but they will be disappointed by a tedious introduction and a fictionalized account of daily life that includes forced dialogue and imposed emotion. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Early Human titles: A Day with Homo Erectus, A Day with Homo Habilis, A Day with Homo Sapiens, and A Day with Neanderthal Man.]

Gr 5-9 Both books include many large colorful photos, diagrams, and illustrations, which are their best features. The texts are much less successful, mainly because of the fictionalized "day in the life" format. It is not known if Homo habilis or even Neanderthals lived in families, or, if so, what would have been the makeup of these groupings. But the author feels free to speculate about them by creating what he sees to be a typical family or clan. For the Homo habilis , he creates a man named Watu and even gives him a wife and children and a village with huts. His Neanderthals get an entire extended family and sophisticated culture that exceeds what is generally known about their lives. Although it is not out of the question that both may have led the kinds of existence described, none of the language used in these books would lead readers to believe that the author's conclusions are anything but fact. Examples of tool making are shown for both Homo habilis and Neanderthals, with illustrations that show the tools in use. However, both books include art and artifacts that are not related in any way to the cultures being described. What a bowl painted by the Mimbres people of the American Southwest (C.E. 1000-1200) has to do with the Neanderthals is a mystery. David Pauli, Hillsboro Public Library, OR