Galapagos: Islands of Change

There was a reason that Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution at the Galapagos Islands, and this book for young adults shows it very well. In this 13 major island archipelago Earth science intersects with animal and natural history. In 45 pages of the most amazing photographs and text, this book tells the story of the islands' formation over 9 million years ago and how their location hundreds of miles from the nearest continent of South America influenced the gradual development of species unique to this locale. Kids learn first about volcanic action (still very much alive here) and they can see its bald shape and effects. They see lava cones and vents, the century-old pahoehoe on Santiago and ashy landforms on Bartolome.Next they learn about the trade winds and sea currents that brought plants and animals to the islands and gradually transformed their landscapes. They meet the famous blue-footed boobies, frigate birds in full expanse, fur seals and sea lions and the marine iguanas found no where else in the world. They see dancing Galapagos tortoises (from which the islands took their name) and their unique land-bound cormorants and penguins, as well as the lush hillsides and unique desert flora, including candelabra and opuntia cacti (the latter being relatives of sunflowers).In these pages, cacti sprout among fresh lava flows. A child's imagination will grow here, too. Alyssa A. Lappen