Do you have a child who enjoys learning about things, places and nature? Then Overview, Young Explorer’s Edition: A New Way of Seeing Earth is for them. Benjamin Grant and Sandra Markle’s edited version for ages 8 and up is a collection of satellite images of the Earth. You can see airplane graveyards, diamond mines, natural landmarks and oil rigs. Plus, you learn how nature and man has impacted, or could impact, each other.
I really cannot say enough about this book. These photographs can be extremely intense. The tulips are just rows on the ground, but from the air they are solid blocks of color. Or lack of, as “before” and “after” images are shown. The images of an oil rig show how small it is compared to the Arctic itself, but the text tells how devastating it could be. And iron mines pollution is shown and how damaging it is. An image of trucks against pieces of nature could easily be matchbox cars. Several images look as if they are abstract paintings. Areas that once were oceans now only getting less that 1.5 inches of water a year and now the earth snakes along the page. Broken into sections with a page introduction I could have spent hours just exploring one or two overview looks.
The book is powerful and gorgeous and overwhelming and so much more all wrapped up into an edited version. The bonus of being edited allows the reader to not be extremely overwhelmed. Nothing is truly bogging the pace of the book down. Yet, do not rush through it. The oversize package makes this a coffee table for kids. But adult can learn, enjoy and be amazed as well. Not a bedtime story, but something for the classroom or that unique kid who likes nature, science, photography and environmental.