In this brilliant presentation of a revolutionary thinker's life, the picture book becomes an art form
As far as I can judge, I am not apt to follow blindly the lead of other men . . .
Charles Darwin was, above all else, an independent thinker who continues even now to influence the way we look at the natural world. His endless curiosity and passion for detail resulted in a wealth of notebooks, diaries, correspondence, and published writings that Peter Sís transforms into a visual treasure trove. A multilayered journey through Darwin's world, The Tree of Life begins with his childhood and traces the arc of his life through university and career, following him around the globe on the voyage of the Beagle, and home to a quiet but momentous life devoted to science and family. Sís uses his own singular vision to create a gloriously detailed panorama of a genius scientist's trajectory through investigating and understanding the mysteries of nature and evolution. In pictures executed in fine pen and ink and lush watercolors – cameo portraits, illustrated pages of diary, cutaway views of the Beagle, as well as charts, maps, and a gatefold spread – Peter Sís, the author of The Wall, Starry Messenger, Tibet, Madlenka, and The Pilot and the Little Prince, has shaped a wondrous introduction to Charles Darwin. This title has Common Core connections.
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
An ALA Notable Children’s Book
A New York Times Best Illustrated Book
A New York Times Notable Children’s Book
A Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year
“Sweeping in scope, lavish in detail, this is a book to launch many a reader’s personal voyage of discovery.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Beautifully conceived and executed, the presentation is a humorous and informative tour de force that will absorb and challenge readers. . . . A fabulous, visually exciting introduction to the man, his ideas and the science of the natural world.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“An extraordinary book that explores Darwin’s life, work, and sources of inspiration . . . The detailed illustrations and narrative complexities demand of readers the same process Darwin set for himself: observe carefully, make connections, and learn.” —The Horn Book, starred review
Peter Sís is an internationally acclaimed illustrator, author, and filmmaker. He was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, and attended the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague and the Royal College of Art in London. Peter is a seven-time winner of The New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, a two-time Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honoree, and has won the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal twice. Peter's books, Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei, Tibet through the Red Box, and The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain were all named Caldecott Honor books by the American Library Association. The Wall was also awarded the Robert F. Sibert Medal.
In addition, Peter Sís is the first children’s book illustrator to win the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. He was chosen to deliver the 2012 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture for the Association for Library Service to Children. Peter won the 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Award. This award is considered the most prestigious in international children's literature, given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People.
Peter Sís lives in the New York City area with his wife and children.
Peter Sís is an internationally acclaimed illustrator, author, and filmmaker. He was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, and attended the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague and the Royal College of Art in London. Peter is a seven-time winner of The New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, a two-time Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honoree, and has won the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal twice. Peter's books, Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei, Tibet through the Red Box, and The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain were all named Caldecott Honor books by the American Library Association. The Wall was also awarded the Robert F. Sibert Medal.
In addition, Peter Sís is the first children’s book illustrator to win the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. He was chosen to deliver the 2012 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture for the Association for Library Service to Children. Peter won the 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Award. This award is considered the most prestigious in international children's literature, given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People.
Peter Sís lives in the New York City area with his wife and children.
“Sweeping in scope, lavish in detail, this is a book to launch many a reader's personal voyage of discovery.” —Starred, Publishers Weekly
“Beautifully conceived and executed, the presentation is a humorous and informative tour de force that will absorb and challenge readers...a fabulous, visually exciting introduction to the man, his ideas and the science of the natural world.” —Starred, School Library Journal
“Sís translates Darwin's written legacy into visual narrative in an extraordinary book that explores Darwin's life, work, and sources of inspiration...The detailed illustrations and narrative complexities demand of readers the same process Darwin set for himself: observe carefully, make connections, and learn.” —Starred, The Horn Book
“Sís incorporates phrases, lines, and paragraphs of text into the artwork of this highly visual biography of Charles Darwin...A sophisticated interpretation that will have rapt admirers, including many adults.” —Booklist
“This enchanting find is for readers of all ages.” —VOYA
