overview young explorers editon

by Benjamin Grant

Discover Earth as you've never seen it before, in this stunning and unique collection of satellite images that offer an unexpected look at our planet. A perfect gift for young National Geographic fans and atlas enthusiasts!

When astronauts look down at our planet and see its vibrant surface shining against the blackness of space, they experience the Overview Effect--a sense of awe, an awareness that everything is interconnected, and an overwhelming desire to take care of our one and only home.

Overview: Young Explorer's Edition, newly adapted for young readers from the adult book Overview, captures this sense of wonder and shares it with readers without having to leave the ground. Extraordinary aerial photographs reveal Earth's natural beauty and show the surprising, fascinating, and destructive ways humans have impacted our environment. This eye-opening visual journey will forever change the way we see our home planet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography, Nature, Childrens, Science, Middle Grade, Juvenile

Unknown Binding

About the author

Benjamin Grant is the founder of Overview. His books take their original inspiration from Daily Overview (@dailyoverview) -- an Instagram account he launched in December 2013. With each post and story, he aims to not only inspire a fresh perspective of our planet but also how human activity changes the Earth. Benjamin's first book - "Overview: A New Perspective of Earth" - was selected as one of the Best Books of 2016 by Amazon, The Smithsonian, and the Los Angeles Times. It has been translated into nine languages so far. Grant graduated from Yale University where he studied world history, art history, and rowed on the heavyweight crew team. He lives and rides his bike in San Francisco.

Reviews

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The eye candy factor of this book alone would make it worth reading, but there's so much more. First, there's the aspect of the photography. All shots were taken by satellites some 400 miles out in space, yet many of them look like they were shot from a low flying plane. Then there's the description and observation accompanying each one. They amplify on what the reader's eye can see, as well as expanding understanding about the effects of both natural and human action for many of them, note which are either caused or will be affected in the near future by change. Take for instance, photos of Venice and the heavily populated Male, one of the islands making up the Republic of Maldives. When reading the accompanying narratives, you realize that both are in real danger from the rising seas caused by global warming. Other photos clearly demonstrate the effects of pollution, fire and deforestation. However, there's also plenty of amazement contained within these pages, shots so vivid and colorful a reader can easily become lost in their magnificence. This is a gem and one that deserves a home in most every library.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was VERY cool, so much so that I got so absorbed reading it at my desk that I stayed an extra hour at the library. I was just going to peek! And then there I was an hour later! The text is geared towards a elementary reader, although they do offer a lot of parenthetical explanations for some of the concepts so it could definitely be read by a younger reader. There is so much to look at in every single photo!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up without knowing anything about it, and I enjoyed it immensely. It seems like this children’s book is an adaptation of a longer book for grown-ups. I’m curious what that one is like, and how its approach differs.

This book shows bird’s-eye-views of both natural and man-made phenomena. Some of these giant spreads also feature more normal views of the same thing, just to help kids understand what they see. Pictures showing the effects of climate change and deforestation are a powerful and yet tactful way to show children humankind’s ability to change the planet. Before and after pictures show stark contrasts, and a before/during picture of a volcanic eruption shows the red lava flowing into the sea (and the cloud of steam rising from the water). These pictures are fascinating and unexpected. Bridges over the ocean, lakes with odd colors, a graveyard of discarded airplanes, clouds (seen from above) casting shadows onto the ocean—this book delivers exactly what it promises in the title: here is “a new way of seeing Earth.”

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly detailed photographs, taken from satellites, show different parts of our Earth, accompanied by descriptions and explanations of the visible effects of climate change. This is an edition for younger readers. My local library did not have the full length "adult" version which I would still like to read.

[Patricia Gmitrovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging and interesting overview photography.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the images in this gorgeous book were taken by four satellites 400 miles above the Earth, readers will swear that their detail makes them seem as though they were taken up close from a camera hovering just above the forms. These Maxar Satellites help viewers see the world in a very different way, one that only astronauts who've traveled to the moon or aboard one of the space stations could possibly have seen. Somehow, looking at the images makes readers realize the enormity of our world as well as the connections among its inhabitants. The book is divided into nine chapters with some vivid visual reminders of how humans are endangering their home. It would be hard to choose my favorite one from among the tulip farms in Amsterdam, the rice terraces and canola farms in China, various cityscapes at night, or a cattle feedlot in Texas. The images are mesmerizing, and the brief text that supports each photograph provides just enough information to explain the image or offer a slight commentary on it. Those who are interested in seeing more--and who wouldn't be?--will want to subscribe to Daily Overview for similar images in their email boxes everyday. This is fascinating stuff and an interesting shift in perspective just by looking down on all that the world contains.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview is a celebration of Earth’s natural beauty. This book is full of extraordinary aerial photographs that illustrate what astronauts see when they look down at our planet—a vibrant surface shining against the blackness of space. In addition to the planet’s brilliance, these photographs also show how the surprising and destructive ways humans have impacted our environment. Readers will see that everything is interconnected and will get inspired to take care of our one and only home.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This coffee-table-size book is packed with birds'-eye-view photos of Earth, showing land formations, changes, and human effects, grouped by themes (housing, travel, food production, colors, destruction, etc.).

It's fascinating, awe-inspiring, and equal parts wonderful and terrifying.

I think readers ages 8 to 12 will be entranced by it. The only thing missing is a good map of the Earth so young readers could find the places pictured more easily.

[mg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I can WOW enough times in this review to give this book justice. It's an amazing way for kids to explore the earth, and explore it from a very different perspective than usual. Fascinating!

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book of aerial photographs with descriptions to give readers new ways of looking at earth. It is a large volume but showing individual pages and having students predict what they are looking at could be a fun way to get readers into the book and related topics.

[Elizabeth Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

These pictures are stunning and definitely eye-opening. The descriptions are also very helpful in understanding the impact of the picture.

Warning: this book might depress you because humans suck. And in many of these pictures, they make the world kinda suck, too.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book for of beautiful satellite pictures of interesting places on our planet. Some are natural, some are highly populated. Definitely worth flipping through the library or bookstore and you'll quickly see if it's for you.

[claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photos were totally mind-blowing!

[Suebee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding. The page showing the image of the deforestation in Bolivia is the most gut wrenching for me.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative book with really cool overhead photographs of earth and various things on earth. Loved it!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning satellite images of Earth

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic view of the earth from the above... focusing on some familiar spots and some not so familiar. Fascinating!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating!

[Morris Yen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read!
I think it's more informative than the other edition.

[Raven Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure the adult version is lovely but this abridge edition gives just enough to keep you interested without being dull. Adults can enjoy as much as kids strong 8/9 to 13/14 (slightly youger side). Unbelievable photographs. And stuffed full of resources and information