A simple explanation of the process of evolution, from the first appearance of "almost alive things" to the development of the millions of life forms that exist today.

Text about and photography of experiments, animals, plants, bones, and fossils reveal the ideas and discoveries that have changed our understanding of the natural world and how life began.

"This humorous informational picture book about the history of the universe answers some of the biggest questions humans have ever asked - like how the universe began and where we came from. Young readers will learn all about the Big Bang theory, how our solar system and planet were formed, how life began in the oceans and moved to land, what happened to the dinosaurs and how humans evolved from apes to explore, build communities all over the world...and...

Before humans took their first steps, there were billions of years of vibrant and varied life-forms on Earth. Discover the story of our planet during this time, from the formation of the universe to the first mammals and all the incredible life that flourished in between. Covering ice ages and fossils, the first life in the sea and on land, the time of the dinosaurs, and the rise of mammals, Martin Jenkins navigates through millennia of prehistory...

"It has taken billions of years for Earth to become the planet it is today. When Planet Earth Was New looks back to the very beginning, using a poetic approach grounded in scientific fact to give an overview of how the planet has changed over time: from hot lava to the formation of oceans to the evolution of living things in water and on land. The book also includes the relatively recent evolution of humans - who are just a tiny speck in the sweep...

"Inquisitive young readers will delight in wiggling, chomping, squeaking, and hooting their way through our evolutionary family tree in this charming tale that answers one of life's biggest questions: where do we come from?"--