Kirkus Reviews

The upcoming bicentennial of Darwin's birth has already increased interest in his life and theories. Lasky, whose lively style has brought innumerable individuals, both well-known and obscure, to life for young audiences, makes an unexpected misstep here with a conversational narrative that is confusingly disjointed. A teeny-tiny note on the copyright page acknowledges that the event that gives the book its title, a collecting expedition in which Darwin transported three unusual beetles at once by holding one in each hand and the third in his mouth, did not take place in his young childhood, as implied by her version. Changing history, even in so minor a way, is an inauspicious beginning. From there Lasky jumps from event to event with little transition, stuffing Darwin's life into the remaining pages, an approach which seems likely to confuse child readers. Trueman's illustrations, though appealing, contribute to the confusion. The inclusion of various natural objects adds interest and complements the subject, but the oversized heads and button eyes of his characters create an incongruously cartoonish feel. A disappointing effort. (Biography. 8-10)

Horn Book (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

This straightforward biography begins with Darwin's childhood fascination with collecting specimens (especially beetles); covers his attempts to find a meaningful career and his years on the Beagle; and concludes with the publication of The Origin of Species. Trueman's mixed-media illustrations create a humorous tone. Bib.

Starred Review for Publishers Weekly

The bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth on February 12, 2009 (yes, the same day as Lincoln's) has not escaped publishers.

<REVIEW PUBLISHER=""Reed Business Information-US"" RELEASEDATE=""12/15/2008"" LANGUAGE=""EN"" SECRIGHTS=""YES"" PUBLICATION=""Publishers Weekly"" PUBDATE=""12/15/2008"" VOLUME=""255"" ISSUE=""50"" PAGE=""53"" SECTION=""Reviews"" SUBSECTION=""Children's Books"" CONTENTTYPE=""Review"" AUTHNAME=""Staff"" STARRED=""YES"">One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles DarwinKathryn Lasky, illus. by Matthew Trueman. Candlewick, $17.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-7636-1436-2

Distilling tough concepts into light, conversational prose, Lasky (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">John Muir) gives middle-graders a just-right introduction to Charles Darwin. In colorful, cut-to-the-chase language ( “He found anatomy class disgusting, and he once rushed out of an operating room, unable to stand the sight of blood”), she highlights Darwin's insatiable curiosity, his failures at school and his voyage aboard the <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Beagle. The author invites readers to follow Darwin's reasoning and the questions that led up to his theory of evolution. Taking advantage of the large trim size, Trueman (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Noah's Mittens) up-ends perspective with multilayered mixed-media illustrations; mostly paint, these also incorporate bits of flowers and weeds as well as string, paper and fabric. Like the text, they aim for a homely, friendly style, as when young Darwin and his brother are shown gleefully exploding things in their homemade lab. Highly accessible. Ages 7–12. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Jan.)

ALA Booklist (Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2009)

Darwin's legendary five-year voyage to South America aboard the Beagle forms the centerpiece of this informative picture book for confident readers. Lasky begins with Darwin's childhood as a poor but remarkably curious student; he landed his spot as the naturalist on the Beagle more due to his enthusiasm than any standing in the scientific field. With clarity and style, Lasky recounts the puzzling things that he found on the trip, explores the questions he began asking, and hints at the conclusions he would arrive at, both in terms of biology and geology. Trueman's skillful blend of inks, watercolors, pencils, gouache, and collage nicely capture Darwin's fascination with the natural world, with fanciful scenes of Darwin peering through ferns, exploring islands, and even riding a giant turtle. With only a quick rundown of the hullabaloo surrounding the publication of The Origin of Species, the focus here is clearly on Darwin's travels, and this accessible jaunt will easily situate the man as a natural adventurer in kids' minds before he becomes just another stuffy old scientist.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2009)

Gr 3-6 Large and humorous mixed-media illustrations will draw children to this large-format biography. Using watercolor, graphite pencil, gouache, acrylic ink, colored pencil, and collage, Trueman captures Darwin's world and adventures. Cartoonlike people have prominent noses, expressive faces, and enormous hands. Throughout, the naturalist appears to be both curious and hapless, a description he might have given himself in his own modest journals. Lasky's text balances the exuberant artwork with well-organized information, gracefully sprinkling in quotes from Darwin's own writing. Touching briefly on his childhood, the text devotes most of the space to Darwin's years on the Beagle , explaining how his discoveries in geology, paleontology, and animal anatomy on that trip led to his theory about evolution. Lasky uses Darwin's own words to show that he questioned the literal nature of the Bible and the divinity of Jesus, but that he wrote several times praising God as the Creator. Although the text is brief, it creates a clear view of a man who was troubled by the implications of his observations and who, at the end of his life, was more interested in experimenting with earthworms and carnivorous plants than in promoting his theory. Ellen Heath, Easton Area Public Library, Easton, PA