Book Review of How to Build a Human: In seven evolutionary steps by Pamela S. Turner

 

1.      Bibliography

Turner, P. S. 2022. How to build a human: In seven evolutionary steps. (Gurche, J.) Charlesbridge. ISBN: 9781623542504.

2.      Plot Summary

In this book we follow the evolution of humans starting 7 to 5.2 million years ago.  The evolution theory is thoroughly discussed and picked apart with details and pictures.  We follow seven steps into becoming a human starting with Step 1: We stand up and continuing through Step 7: We become storytellers.  From this book you can find out more about fossils and artifacts and even websites and books to learn more. 

3.      Critical Analysis

Turner gathered information from “Dr. Habiba Chirchir who is a paleoanthropologist in the department of Biological Sciences at Marshall University and Research associate in Human Origins Program Team at the Smithsonian Institution.”  Evolutionary theory is a scientifically and globally accepted theory supported by years of rigorous research and data accumulation.  There are multiple sources across 9 pages and a bibliography 10 pages in length.  This shows the information was thoroughly researched and the bibliography features sources from Cambridge and Princeton University.  The book features a table of contents with a clear sequence of the book starting with an introduction, how we started, followed by seven steps into the evolution of humans.  There is also a timeline starting from 7 to 5.2 million years ago until about 15,000 years ago.  We also see real color pictures of animals, tools, bones, sketches, or maps that the book is referring to.   It is interesting to see the progression of the species and the differences between each.  The vocabulary uses the formal wording for each species.  The book poses questions that are intriguing to the user and makes them want to know more like “What happened to Australopiths and Handy People when Erectus showed up?”  There are footnotes in the book that offer the author’s commentary and you can feel the passion and humor she has.  This fascinating book will keep your mind hooked and wanting to learn more.

4.      Review Excerpt(s)

This fascinating, inviting, and engagingly written volume is ideal for report-writing tweens and teens and those interested in biology and history. It will also find a happy audience in parents who are stuck on younger children’s questions about how ancient sea creatures abandoned the ocean and became . . . us. Chapters discuss the major steps in development that made modern humans, illuminating how and why each happened—how we learned to walk upright, use fire, talk, tell stories, and more. Every page includes some tidbit that will be new to nonexpert readers, such as why evolution caused people on the Indonesian island of Flores to be small but Flores lizards to be extra large; what color a polar bear–grizzly bear hybrid is; how walking upright helps keep us cool; what percentage of humans have no Neanderthal genes (spoiler: it’s zero!). Given that the peoples chronicled here left no written records, Turner gives a remarkable amount of information on them, making clear when scientists have hard facts and where they employ a certain degree of speculation. Throughout, Gurche’s sepia-toned likenesses of other Hominids and color photos of ancient artifacts enliven the already lively text. Extensive back matter—in-depth notes, bibliography, and index—add to the value. A must for science shelves.

—Booklist, starred review

5.      Connections

*Other books that investigate the evolution of humans

-On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin and James Costa

-From Molecule To Modern Human: The 4.4-Billion-Year Evolution of Homo sapiens by Frank Dunne

-Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

*Talk to students about their thoughts and opinions of the book, have them write a paper agreeing or disagreeing with the books content.