Galapagos George - Hardcover

George, Jean Craighead

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060287934 ISBN 13: 9780060287931

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2014

Synopsis

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 Galįpagos Islands.

Renowned naturalist and bestselling author of the Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves and the critically acclaimed Everglades Jean Craighead George once again introduces children to the wonders of the natural world in this incredible evolution story set in the Galįpagos Islands. The back matter features key terms, a timeline, and further resources for research.

Supports the Common Core State Standards.

About this title

About the Author:

Jean Craighead George wrote over one hundred books for children and young adults. Her novel Julie of the Wolves won the Newbery Medal in 1973, and she received a 1960 Newbery Honor for My Side of the Mountain. She continued to write acclaimed picture books that celebrate the natural world. Her other books with Wendell Minor include The Wolves Are Back; Luck; Everglades; Arctic Son; Morning, Noon, and Night; and Galapagos George.

Wendell Minor has illustrated numerous award-winning picture books, including Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin, Galapagos George by Jean Craighead George, and If You Were a Panda Bear by his wife, Florence Minor. Mr. Minor's art has been exhibited at the Norman Rockwell Museum, among other prestigious institutions throughout the country. He lives in rural Connecticut with Florence and their two cats.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 1–3—This is an account of the evolution of the Galįpagos Tortoise, as well as the life and death of a famous Galįpagos 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 Galįpagos 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 Galįpagos 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 Galįpagos Islands.—Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0060287934
• ISBN 13: 9780060287931
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Minor Wendell