Galapagos George

by Jean Craighead George (Author) Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Galapagos George
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
This is the story of the famous Lonesome George, a giant tortoise who was the last of his species, lived to be one hundred years old, and became known as the rarest creature in the world. His story gives us a glimpse of the amazing creatures inhabiting the ever-fascinating Galapagos Islands.
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Hardcover
$16.99

Kirkus

A heartfelt if imperfect tribute to one George by another who will also be missed.

None

Minor's painterly illustrations showcase the changing setting and the magnificence of the tortoises.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

In a posthumously published story from award-winning author George, the author personalizes an evolutionary tale by spotlighting one species, the saddleback tortoises of Pinta Island. Beginning with a common ancestor, referred to as Giantess George, that originated in South America, the story traces the species' arrival in the Galapagos and relates some of the islands' history, including a visit from Charles Darwin. The book culminates with the death of the last of the Pinta Island saddlebacks, known as Lonesome George, which died within weeks of the author in 2012. Minor's signature soft-edged watercolors fill the spreads with realism and muted hues. One particularly stunning scene brings readers face-to-face with Giantess George, a turquoise, star-filled sky in the background: "When she was almost two hundred years old, Giantess George died. But she left behind long-necked offspring who had longer-necked offspring, who had even longer-necked offspring." Skillfully capturing the concept of adaptation in natural selection, this succinct story continues its creators' tradition of inspiring awe and appreciation for the natural world. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--This is an account of the evolution of the Galapagos Tortoise, as well as the life and death of a famous Galapagos tortoise named Lonesome George. When Lonesome George died in 2012, it marked the extinction of a species thousands of years old and perfectly adapted to living on the Galapagos Islands. The life of the tortoise and the plants and animals of its habitat are illustrated in vivid, brilliant color paintings on every page. A map of the Galapagos Islands spreads across the end papers and includes an inset of South America, placing the islands in their geographical context. The author explains the adaptations that led to the unique features of the species: the tortoise's "neck was a little longer than those of the other tortoises on the island, and she could eat the leaves of trees when the ground plants were gone." When humans caused too many drastic changes, such as the inadvertent introduction of predators, many individual tortoises could not adapt, and drastic declines in numbers of survivors led to extinction. A half page of definitions for key terms such as "adaptation" and "evolution" is included, as is a time line of the Galapagos Islands.--Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes




Jean Craighead George
Jean Craighead George was the preeminent nature writer for children. She is the author of My Side of the Mountain and Julie of the Wolves, and her work spanned 50 years. She died in May 2012 at age 93.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780060287931
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
HarperCollins
Publication date
April 08, 2014
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF003190 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Reptiles & Amphibians
JNF051100 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Environmental Science & Ecosystems
Library of Congress categories
Galapagos tortoise
Migration
Evolution
Cook Prize
Winner 2015 - 2015

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