Darwin's Finch

My daughters will soon be here for their summer visit, and the youngest (12 years) has expressed an interest in reading about evolution. She is bright and a good reader for her age group, but I fear that the books I have may be a bit much for her and our local library doesn't seem to have anything written with a younger audience in mind. Is anyone aware of a good book on the subject that is neither too technical nor insultingly dumbed down, something appropriate for a pre-teen/teen?

Studying evolution is something that isn't exactly encouraged in my ex-wife's household, so this is a rare window of opportunity for my daughter to learn some real science without the inevitable fundie backlash. I'd really like to come through for her on this one and will appreciate any suggestions.

RufusAtticus

Go to a local book store and look at a copy of The Beak of the Finch, by Jonathan Weiner and see if you think her reading level is up to it.

Doubting Didymus

Hmm, tricky. I've forgotten what it's like to be twelve.

Selected chapters from the blind watchmaker are the only things I can think of. I say selected chapters because there is a lot of stuff in there that you could easily skip, but she might be up to reading the whole thing. That book is specifically aimed at answering just one question: how evolution (and selection specifically) is capable of creating complex things that look designed. Thats a quite narrow perspective on the complete theory of evolution, but for a layman, it's practically all one needs to know.

pz

I have this book I picked up in the Smithsonian gift shop years ago that all my kids have really enjoyed. It's From the Beginning: The Story of Human Evolution, by David Peters. It's mostly drawings. It focuses exclusively on summaries of the fossils lying as close as possible to the line of human descent. It's getting a bit outdated, but it is so simple and clear and visual that kids are able to follow it easily, but it's got enough detail that I've found some of it useful.

Doubting Didymus

Looks perfect. I wish I'd had something like that as a child.

How come there is so much astronomy aimed at younger folk, but so little biology?

God Fearing Atheist

I remember reading The Blind Watchmaker for the first time around that age (must have been 13 or 14).

-GFA

Darwin's Finch

Thanks for the responses! pz's suggestion looks perfect; I will order it tonight and will present it to her as a gift. I'll be in Reno this weekend and will check out Rufus's suggestion as well.

Our library does have the PBS Evolution series on VHS, so I will check that out for her if she is interested. I've never seen the companion book. Given that it's geared toward a lay-audience, that might also be a possibility though I have no idea whether it is written with quite so young a reader in mind.

Peez

[cynic mode]
Given the intellectual abilities generally assumed for TV lay audience, a bright 12-year-old should do just fine.
[/cynic mode]

Peez

Albion

The companion book to the Evolution series is probably well within the reach of a bright 12-year-old.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...638295-5143906

ps418

My daughter is almost 5, and she likes looking at and talking about Lewin's "Thread of Life." She can't read, but the pictures spark endless questions. She also loves the illustrated wildlife encyclopedia. The first thing she asks about any new animal is "What's it related to?"

Patrick