Human evolution is one of the most important scientific concepts. And while it has become a commonplace scientific theory that is taught in schools, universities, and other institutions, there is not a lot of easy-to-understand material for kids.
The theory of evolution and natural selection was studied by Charles Darwin and popularized in his book The Origin of Species. Darwin visited the Galapagos islands near South America and studied the finches, tortoises, marine iguanas, etc., learning about their unique adaptations. But how do you explain evolutionary biology to a curious five year-old in simple terms? Darwin may have pioneered the science behind evolution, but his writing is definitely not kid-friendly. But don’t worry! There are plenty of children’s books written with the intention of teaching kids about evolution in a fun and easy way.
This article presents some of the best children’s books about human evolution for your curious little one. So, let’s dive in!
Check Amazon- 40 pages
- Customers recommend this book for children ages 2 through 5
- Great treatment of evolution for young readers
- Full of illustrations
- Helpful science notes for parents (to help answer those inconvenient questions)
Check Amazon- 40 pages
- Customers recommend this book for children ages 4 through 8
- Full of vibrant illustrations
- Shows how evolution is collective rather than an individual process
Check Amazon- An adaptation of Charles Darwin’s book The Origin of Species for kids
- The first-ever visual adaptation of the classic that changed the world
- 4.7/5 star rating on Amazon
Check Amazon- Focuses on the five-year exploratory journey of young Charles Darwin
- Leaves the reader full of curiosity about how the world would change after Darwin published his work
- Very well-liked by readers on Amazon with a 4.6/5 star rating
Check Amazon- 64 pages
- Recommended for children ages 7 through 11
- Details key aspects of the early human story
- A well-researched and thought-provoking book
- Explains complex concepts in a way that is accessible to a lay audience
Check Amazon- Breaks down the past 700 years of human history
- Beautiful illustrations and pictures of the ancient world
- Suited to be well-understood by children as young as 7 years old
A-Z Animals Top Picks for Children’s Books About Human Evolution
1. Grandmother Fish: A Child’s First Book of Evolution by Jonathan Tweet
This book is an ideal introduction to evolution for children. It explains the story of human evolution and the earth’s history, leading all the way up to human existence. It uses simple, yet engaging language to keep children interested and to help explain it to them in terms that they can understand. It also features stunning illustrations which help to bring the story to life. This book is scientifically accurate yet remains an engaging read for a child who wants to know more about where humans came from and how they developed.
However, some reviewers have reported that although this book is ideal for younger children under the age of five it does not go into much detail. That said, they still found it a good starting point for a conversation about evolution.
Pros and Cons of Grandmother Fish: A Child’s First Book of Evolution by Jonathan Tweet
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explains the story of human evolution and the earth’s history all the way up to human existence. | Some reviewers reported that it is best suited for younger children under the age of five as it does not go into much detail. |
| It uses simple yet engaging language to keep children interested. | |
| It features stunning illustrations to help bring the story to life. |
- 40 pages
- Customers recommend this book for children ages 2 through 5
- Great treatment of evolution for young readers
- Full of illustrations
- Helpful science notes for parents (to help answer those inconvenient questions)
2. The Story of Life: A First Book about Evolution by Catherine Barr (Author), Steve Williams (Author), and Amy Husband (Illustrator)
The next book to look out for when searching for a children’s book on human evolution is The Story of Life: A First Book about Evolution. This book was written by two individuals who genuinely love nature and everything held within! Catherine Barr is an editor at the Natural History Museum in London and was a campaigner with Greenpeace International before she began writing.
The other author, Steve Williams, is a chartered biologist and a science teacher for kindergartens and high schools in rural areas. So, he brings personal experience to the book in that he knows what children would like to read in a book about human evolution.
Authors aside, this book itself is full of captivating illustrations and short texts packed with tons of information your little one needs to know about human evolution. It develops everything from when and how planet Earth came into being to what it is like now. The book does a great job of clearly breaking down where humans came from into a very intriguing story with an element of suspense. It’s also full of fascinating facts that help bring the story to life. So get your hands on this book if you’re looking for a non-fiction story about human evolution!
Unfortunately, some customers found that although this book covers the order of evolution it does not give much information on how it happened. Also, there are a few complex words in the book which younger reader may find challenging.
Pros and Cons of The Story of Life: A First Book about Evolution
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explains how Earth came into being and what it is like now. | It does not cover the “how” aspect of evolution. |
| It breaks down where humans come from into an intriguing story. | There are some complex words in it that younger readers may struggle with. |
| It is full of fascinating facts that help bring the story to life. | |
| It features captivating illustrations. |
- 40 pages
- Customers recommend this book for children ages 4 through 8
- Full of vibrant illustrations
- Shows how evolution is collective rather than an individual process
3. On the Origin of Species by Sabina Radeva
On the Origin of Species is an adaptation of Charles Darwin’s book The Origin of Species. This book is a kid-friendly version of Darwin’s iconic book that uses unique illustrations to tell the story.
This book is a fantastic introduction to the theory of evolution that any child showing an interest in human existence would enjoy. It paints the picture of evolution as a phenomenon of nature riding on top of natural selection in a fun and understandable way for five to eight year olds.
On the Origin of Species dives into everything from human evolution, mutations, genes, variations, apes to humans, and more! In other words, this book is the first-ever visual adaptation of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species, suited to fit a younger age group.
The book does a phenomenal job of honoring the original theorist of human evolution, Charles Darwin, by including snippets from his life and biography. The book builds up the idea that whatever we know about human evolution today can be credited to Charles Darwin in one way or the other. So if you’re looking for an authentic read educating the curious minds of your kindergartener, there would be no better choice than to choose a book that takes all of its knowledge from Darwin’s original material directly.
Unfortunately, this books does use quite high-level language with some complex words so it’s better suited to older children as younger ones may struggle with it.
Pros and Cons of On the Origin of Species by Sabina Radeva
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This is a child-friendly version of the iconic book by Charles Darwin. | It uses high-level language and complex words which are unsuited to younger children. |
| It explains human evolution, mutations, genes, variations, apes to humans, and much more. | |
| This book does an excellent job of honoring Charles Darwin and his work. | |
| It uses unique illustrations to tell the story. |
- An adaptation of Charles Darwin’s book The Origin of Species for kids
- The first-ever visual adaptation of the classic that changed the world
- 4.7/5 star rating on Amazon
4. Charles Darwin’s Around-the-World Adventure by Jennifer Thermes
Another book that is about Charles Darwin is Charles Darwin’s Around-the-World Adventure. This book by Jennifer Thermes focuses on Darwin’s adventures on his famous ship, The Beagle, and his intellectual journey through finding details of human evolution. The book focuses on the five-year exploratory journey of young Charles Darwin. A nature enthusiast, young Charles inspected insects, birds, rocks, and bones, and essentially whatever he could find that might’ve answered who we are and where we came from. He collected all these specimens and took them back home, investigating them further and eventually developing his theory of evolution.
This book also features stunning illustrations as well as a fascinating map of Darwin’s journey. So if your little one is into long voyages and stories of discovery, this book is your pick! It is 48 pages long and is suitable children aged four to seven years. Plus, there are Kindle and hardcover editions available.
Pros and Cons of Charles Darwin’s Around-the-World Adventure by Jennifer Thermes
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book tells the story of a young Charles Darwin aboard his famous ship, The Beagle. | None |
| It explains the different species that Darwin discovered. | |
| It features stunning illustrations. | |
| It includes a fascinating map of Darwin’s journey. | |
| It is suitable for children aged four to seven years old. | |
| There are Kindle and hardcover editions available. |
- Focuses on the five-year exploratory journey of young Charles Darwin
- Leaves the reader full of curiosity about how the world would change after Darwin published his work
- Very well-liked by readers on Amazon with a 4.6/5 star rating
5. When We Became Humans: Our Incredible Evolutionary Journey by Michael Bright (Author) and Hannah Bailey (Illustrator)
When We Became Humans: Our Incredible Evolutionary Journey is a children’s book written by one of the executive producers of the BBC’s Natural History Unit. Thus, the information in this book is discovered first-hand from his own studies and experiences over the years. If you need any more convincing about the author, Michael Bright has authored over 75 natural history books, so you could say he is somewhat of an expert on the topic.
This book offers its readers more than just words written on a page; instead, it provides a complete experience that will undoubtedly entice young readers. It’s filled with several real-life pictures of pre-Homosapien fossils in an easily understandable, chronological, and engaging manner. And not only does it present this early evidence of evolution, but it also builds a story around the adaptations of these humans that were different from ours today.
An honorable mention about this book is that Bright doesn’t claim to know everything there is to know about evolution. Instead, he just seems to do his best to share what he does know with the next generation of children and teenagers who might become scientists one day. In his own words, Bright says:
“The human story is so complex that nobody is sure who is right.”
To say the least, you connect with the story and the author on a personal level quite early on with this read. So if you need a book that captivates both you and your little one, When We Became Humans is a great choice.
Pros and Cons of When We Became Humans: Our Incredible Evolutionary Journey by Michael Bright (Author) and Hannah Bailey (Illustrator)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explores the early Homosapien fossils and the evidence of evolution. | None |
| It presents the information in an easily understandable, chronological, and engaging manner. | |
| It explains how early humans were different to humans today. | |
| This book features pictures of real fossils. |
- 64 pages
- Recommended for children ages 7 through 11
- Details key aspects of the early human story
- A well-researched and thought-provoking book
- Explains complex concepts in a way that is accessible to a lay audience
6. Life Through Time: The 700-Million-Year Story of Life on Earth by John Woodward
Last but not least, another great children’s book about human evolution is John Woodward’s Life Through Time: The 700-Million-Year Story of Life on Earth. This book is a tale that breaks down the past 700 years of human history, as suggested by its name. With beautiful illustrations and pictures of the ancient world, i.e. seas, plains, and ancient animals, this book brings forth any and all evolutionary details of many different animal and plant species as well as humans in a unique way. The book acknowledges that evolution is a complex topic and breaks it down into simple terms for children to understand.
The author himself has written more than 40 books on nature. So he is very informed on human evolution and our place in natural history. The book also gives an incredible insight into what the world looked like before the first Homosapians came around.
Life Through Time: The 700-Million-Year Story of Life on Earth is perfectly suited to be well-understood by children as young as seven years old, and the beautiful illustrations definitely supplement an enjoyable learning experience. So, if you’re looking for a resource that would be a great addition to your science classes, this could be your book of choice.
Unfortunately, some reviewers say that this book doesn’t provide a lot of information, although the pictures do make up for it.
Pros and Cons of Life Through Time: The 700-Million-Year Story of Life on Earth by John Woodward
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explains the last 700 years of human history. | Reviewers say that it doesn’t provide a lot of information. |
| It features beautiful illustrations of the ancient world. | |
| It explains evolution in simple ways that children can understand. | |
| This book gives an insight into what the world was like before the first Homosapiens were around. |
- Breaks down the past 700 years of human history
- Beautiful illustrations and pictures of the ancient world
- Suited to be well-understood by children as young as 7 years old
Choosing the Best: What to Look For
There are several things to consider when choosing a book about human evolution for children. Here are a few things that you should look for:
- Look through children’s book award lists. These books are usually well-recommended by authors and professionals in the field all across the globe.
- Visit your nearest library and scan through the children’s books section to find topics of relevance. Read the book beforehand to determine whether or not it is good for your child. And if you like one, go on and buy it!
- Determine whether you want to find a fiction or a non-fiction book, and look online accordingly.
- Talk to your child’s teacher. Teachers go through hundreds of children’s books due to their profession, and they will certainly have a couple of recommendations for you on what book may be a good fit for your child.
- Ask yourself whether your child would prefer illustrations, photos, or a mixture of both! It’s important that your little one is engaged when reading, so knowing what kind of book your child prefers can really make a difference in helping them concentrate and learn the history of human evolution.
- Consider the reading level of the child. For younger children you should choose a book with lots of illustrations and simpler text. Even a board book with lift up flaps would be a good idea. For older children you can look for a book with more words and more complex sentences to help to educate them.
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