Evolution for Babies: A STEM Learning Board Book about Evolutionary Biology from the #1 Science Author for Kids (Science Gifts for Kids)

Baby University

by Chris Ferrie, Cara Florance

Simple explanations of complex ideas for your future genius!

Written by an expert, Evolution for Babies is a colorfully simple introduction to evolutionary biology. Babies (and grownups!) will learn how organisms mutate, evolve, and survive. Co-written by Cara Florance, who has a PhD in Biochemistry and a BS in Chemistry with work experience in astrobiololgy and radiation decontamination. With a tongue-in-cheek approach that adults will love, this installment of the Baby University board book series is the perfect way to introduce basic concepts to even the youngest scientists. After all, it's never too early to become a scientist!

Baby University: It only takes a small spark to ignite a child's mind.

Also in the Baby University Series:
Quantum Physics for Babies
Organic Chemistry for Babies
ABCs of Science

Genres: Science, Childrens, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Evolution

24 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

I am Chris Ferrie, father of four and happy husband. My day job is academic research where I follow my curiosity through the word of quantum physics. My passion for communicating science has led from the most esoteric topics of mathematical physics to more recently writing children’s books.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, to say that I am both disappointed and hugely frustrated with and by Chris Ferrie's 2018 board book (which is part of his Baby University series) is major understatement. For why is in Evolution for Babies Ferrie textually using hypothetical multicoloured balls and a hole through which some of these balls are trying to fit to explain and demonstrate the theory of evolution to toddlers, to a board book audience? Because honestly and in my humble opinion, by having Chris Ferrie in Evolution for Babies use abstract ball shapes and a hole to explain evolution instead of using animal or plant examples, sorry, but this makes Ferrie's text not simple, not easily understandable for and to his intended audience but quite the opposite (and also most definitely does not for and to me show how evolution is basically the root of life on earth).

I mean, if Chris Ferrie wants to explain evolution to young children, why use something abstract and unrelatable, why does he not for example instead of balls and holes use an animal species in Evolution for Babies (such as for example the Galapagos finches) to show natural selection and evolution of species over time? Because this would make a lot more more sense and would also make Evolution for Babies actually tied to biology, zoology and not just some esoteric concept floating strangely and weirdly in space, in the air. And finally, just to point out that for me as an older and university educated adult reader who knows my theory of evolution reasonably well, indeed, ALL I took from Evolution for Babies has been a feeling of annoyance and that Chris Ferrie has managed to confuse and frustrate both my adult self and also my inner child (and that there is NO WAY I would ever consider using Evolution for Babies with and for young children, as both Chris Ferrie's text and Clara Florance's accompanying pictures are confusing, too abstract for a biogiacal and life based theory explanation and thus make evolution not simple and understandable but weirdly complex and removed from reality, and come on, science is reality and evolution represents life itself, is thus and of course the ultimate reality).

But just to add, yes, I am also wondering whether Chris Ferrie is keeping his Evolution for Babies deliberately abstract and removed from scientific reality in order to prevent his book, his text from enraging and encouraging the ever more increasingly disgustingly vile and sadly more and more powerful book banners and religious extremists, read fanatics. And honestly, Mr. Ferrie, if that is indeed the case, come on, you should be showing some backbone and be writing a children's board book on evolution that actually relates to legitimate biology, to actual animals and planets changing, evolving over the aeons, to the actual history of life on earth and that also mentions Charles Darwin.

[Ricarda Krenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

My husband is an evolutionary geneticist. We both have Ph.D.s. This book confused us. That does not bode well for a book that is supposed to simplify complex ideas.

[Cathy Casey-Richards · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a confusing explanation to me, a person who generally understands the concepts of evolution & natural selection. I think a way better example than balls fitting through holes could’ve been chosen.

[Madison · Rating 2 out of 5]

7/17/2023 - The examples of evolution with balls and holes was confusing.

[Clara Jane Isch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book more confused about evolution than when I started.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a HUGE fan of Chris Ferrie's board books for babies - As a scientist (and someone who practices evolutionary medicine), I firmly believe we shouldn't be dumbing things down and we should give more information to babies at an early age. HOWEVER, this one missed the mark. There are SO MANY ways evolution could be explained in a simple way and this was what was chosen? I struggled to understand the point he was making and even now I'm not sure I understand fully.

[Cecily V · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think using moths or plants as an example would've made the concept easier to grasp. A ball making more balls is just strange. And why does the ball need to not fit through the hole? I think saying "only the yummiest berries get eaten by birds, and when the birds..." Etc

[Amin Bachari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would say Evolution for Brilliant Babies.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

My baby really liked looking at the pictures in this book, but I couldn’t help but wish it has been based around animals or plants instead of balls.

[Yasmin M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I am getting gifts for a baby shower and I decided to look at this series. I must say as a scientist I was skeptical (yeah I know how that sounds but it is the only cool thing I can say about myself so give me a break 😆 ), I mean how can you simplify that for babies?
This was pretty good I must say.
Why the 4 stars? because it is not as good as the Bayesian Probability one.
Actually evolution is not that complicated. It is arguably one of those "why didn’t I realize it sooner" ideas. One that was so simple people had to invent fake gods and mythical creatures to explain the flora and fauna diversity (this is my opinion).
I am pretty curious about the adults that will become of the babies reading these. What kinds of critical thinker will they become?

[Andrés · Rating 1 out of 5]

At this point, I continue to check out Ferrie books from the library to "collect them all," I guess, but I don't know why because the second I saw another ball analogy (like in his other books), I wanted to throw this book against a wall. The balls / hole analogy makes no sense, and the images themselves are not even visually captivating for young children. Save yourself strife and skip this one.

[Eleanor Senior-Wignall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book because I have a background in biology and anything that could get my son interested would be a win. However, I feel the use of balls in holes as an abstract example for evolution is overly confusing and I'm not sure why n animal example, e.g. finches or moths wasn't used instead to make it more clear.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. A couple of problems with this for me… I think that the “special ball”idea is problematically agentic. And I’m not sure about the image of the inside of the box on the final page…seems confusing.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as the back cover states “simple explanations of complex ideas” - this book explains evolution (natural selection) using a ball and the ability to fit through a hole.

[Aarvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

[P Roberge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/17/2023 - I appreciate this book attempting to explain evolution to toddlers. I just think the ball and hole concept is confusing. The evolving pacifiers in the cover made more sense.

[ana carolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

analogia no mínimo curiosa

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple explanation of evolution.

[Corey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why is everything a ball