Author: Michael Keller, (no web page)
Illustrated: Nicolle Rager Fuller
http://www.sayo-art.com/index.php
Published: Rodale Books New York, 2007
ISBN 978-1605296975
digital, with traditional media (acrylic, watercolor, pencil)
Annotation:
A graphic rendition of Charles Darwin's world renown publication and theories. This version opens with a biography of Dawin’s life and discoveries and brief introduction of his struggle to publicize his work over a 13 year period.
Personal Reaction:
The illustrations are purposefully scientific and technical, done in Sayo style, similar to Audobon’s scientific illustrations of birds. The introduction gives an insight to Darwin’s life as a young struggling scientist while dedicating his life to creating theories which contradicted common thoughts. This illustrated version is original text of Darwin’s publications mixed with current data, and dialog in Dawin’s voice.The Origins adaptation is followed by a graphic telling of the political aftermath of its publication also in his voice. Challenged by the religious establishment 7 months after publication and continuing to modern day, the detailed illustrations give new breath to both Dawin’s written thoughts his life story and current theories being established.
Students will find many similarities between Darwin’s intense obsession with his discoveries and other important scientists. Darwin’s struggle to challenge the mainstream nonscientific beliefs of the religious establishment of the times is a common theme with historical scientific revolution and change. Copernicus, like Darwin and many others, also studied Greek scientists while building life long theories that threatened common religious endocrine and belief. This book goes well with the study of revolutionary scientists challenging religious, non science based beliefs.
**Potentially Challenged Book
There is great controversy in teaching Darwin's theory of evolution in school systems across the nation. Mostly by those who believe that Intelligent design, or creationism should be taught. Intelligent design and creationism believe the world is too complex to evolve over time and that a higher power must have been planning everything out. The Discovery Institute (a conservative group in Seattle) believes the controversy between the two drastically different theories should be taught while teaching both theories. In 2004 Pennsylvania's Dover school district adopted to teach only intelligent design and to drop Darwin's theories. If this book was fund in a school system that either has adopted to teach intelligent design or that the parent body wanting no creation taught in the school system because they believe in creationism and teach it at home. Having a graphic novel that is so easy to read depicting Darwin's theories and writings would be extremely offensive to this group.
Curricular connections
7th grade State Standards
7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and
its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
1. Discuss the roots of the Scientific Revolution (e.g., Greek rationalism; Jewish, Chris
tian, and Muslim science; Renaissance humanism; new knowledge from global explo
ration).
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
3. Understand the scientific method advanced by Bacon and Descartes, the influence of
new scientific rationalism on the growth of democratic ideas, and the coexistence of
science with traditional religious beliefs.
