Life Story

By Aristides Demetrios

Earth takes center stage in this updated version of Virginia Lee Burton’s 1962 classic Life Story. Told through five acts, Burton’s art and text tell the history of earth from beginning to present day. Readers will gain an in-depth understanding of the planet’s history and their leading roles in it today. The ebook has been updated with cutting-edge science, including up-to-the-minute information on fossil records and the geologic principles.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 16, 2009
• ISBN: 9780547348858

Book preview

Life Story

The Story of Life on Our Earth From Its Beginning Up to Now

Virginia Lee Burton

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Life

Story

By

VIRGINIA LEE BURTON

Produced by Houghton Mifflin and Company 1962

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Copyright © 1962 by Virginia Lee Demetrios

Copyright renewed © 1990 by Aristides Demetrios and Michael B. Demetrios

All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections

from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing

Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003.

Special thanks to Andrew Knoll, Fisher Professor of Natural History

at Harvard University, for his invaluable assistance in updating the

information in this book.

Printed in Singapore

RNF ISBN 978-0-547-19508-7

PAP ISBN 978-0-547-20359-1

TWP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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Program

LIFE

Reviews for Life Story

[selia-26098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I owned a paperback copy of this growing up and spent countless hours reading and noticing every little detail on every page. it's so comprehensive but told in such an engaging way, and my young mind just soaked it all up! I have so many fond memories of this book and didn't know until just recently that she's the same author of mike mulligan and his steam shovel, another book easily in my top 10 kids books!

[larasimmons2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was originally published in 1962, and has been updated a few times since, due to scientific changes. "Life Story" is a book about the evolution. It includes the progression of time of our solar system and life on earth. Written in play and poetry format, "Life Story" gives a fresh approach to the evolution subject. The overall theme of the book is to discuss the evolution theory. This book is fitting for 5th or 6th grade. It can be used in a life or earth science classroom. The language and content is more appropriate for this age group. I like this book, being a science major, and a former environmental educator. The language is concise and takes a neutral, narrative tone. Evolution books can be difficult for children, as it is a dense subject. I like how Virgina Lee Burton presented the information as a play. This allows for the discussion of "interpretation" on a touchy subject. She also includes different life forms on the text pages and pronunciation guides. The play language is apparent through her text with "the scene has changed... the climate has turned hot and humid" as an example. She manages to present language is a simple and direct way. The illustrations are also interesting. Burton divides the book pages with a text page and an illustration page. The text pages include smaller pictures of animals, life forms, or important things not depicted in the illustration page. The small pictures provide dates, identifications, and pronunciation guides. This is helpful in preventing the main text from becoming dry and text-book like. Her use of language also helps with accuracy by including different, useful information. For extinct life forms as it approaches present day, Burton even includes distant modern day relatives. This helps readers identify with the text and illustrations.The illustration pages are done as stage and set designs. This creates a theater like presence for the reader. The perspective of the illustrations makes the reader feel like he is watching a play at a theatre watching. The illustrations even presents the set design feel, including signs to tell the reader what "act and scene" the part of evolution it is.

[satyridae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think this is THE best book about evolution and time for little kids. If only I could read it without crying- as Burton brings the focus in and moves inexorably nearer in time to the reader, the intensity ramps up to a point where the brevity and beauty of life is so apparent that it's painful. An exquisite and breathtaking book.

[hayduke_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Originally released in 1962, the Life Story of our earth is laid out by Burton (Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel) as a play in five acts. I had never seen this book until recently, but it’s a gem. This beautifully illustrated book has been updated to reflect the latest in scientific research.

[enbrown504 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This informational story picture book presents a nice look at the development of earth and life on it. The writing is concise and the tone is neutral and narrative. The organization is chronological with no chapters or headings. The illustrations are prominent. The right side of the spread accompinies the text on the left with an illustration of the scene that was earth at the time being described. The illustrations are framed by curtains to give the image of a theatrical scene. The text on the left side of the spread i surrounded by other illustrations often of fossils or other ancient organisms and their taxonomic lineage. The writing is fairly simple and probably directed toward elementary and maybe middle school. I liked the book for its presentation more than its content. The descriptions are brief but gives students an engaging glimpse at what the earth was like at certain points in its natural history. I would use this book as an intro to a natural history or earth science unit. It would be a good tool to capture students attention and get their imaginations working with the material.

[smoore75 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Life Story is a beautifully illustrated book about the history of earth and the evolution of life on earth up to now. The book begins by setting the stage for how earth was created and over five acts, it's history is told. I really enjoyed reading this book and found the illustrations really interesting. They reminded me of folk art and there is a fluid sort of flow to them. I really loved it. I could see using this book in my science classes to hook students on subject matter.

[9001toshiko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

1宇宙の誕生から地球、生物、人類の進化、季節の移り変わり、昨日、今日、今・・・が書かれています。　むずかしい単語がたくさんありましたが、イラストだけでもストーリーが想像できるので、最後まで読むことができました。2.Each　passing second anew link in the endless chain of time.3.2000字4.30分