Grand Canyon

by Jason Chin

Rivers wind through earth, cutting down and eroding the soil for millions of years, creating a cavity in the ground 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep known as the Grand Canyon.

Home to an astonishing variety of plants and animals that have lived and evolved within its walls for millennia, the Grand Canyon is much more than just a hole in the ground. Follow a father and daughter as they make their way through the cavernous wonder, discovering life both present and past.

Weave in and out of time as perfectly placed die cuts show you that a fossil today was a creature much long ago, perhaps in a completely different environment. Complete with a spectacular double gatefold, an intricate map and extensive back matter.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Childrens, Geology, History

48 pages, Hardcover

First published February 21, 2017

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every single thing about this book. 5 full stars. I’ve always wanted to be able to rate of a scale of 1-100 and this book would come very close to the 100 mark, not true for all my 5 star rated books. I love this illustrator/author and this is probably now my favorite book he’s done.

This is a non-fiction book. Its fictional aspect are illustrations of father and young daughter exploring the canyon, its present and its past too.

I learned so much. I think I would not want to visit in summer (especially at the bottom where it’s hottest) but I’ve always wanted to visit and now I want to visit even more than I did before reading this book.

This could make a good read aloud book for groups and one on one and it’s definitely a great discussion book, but I think this book is best for independent readers. There is just so much to pore over and explore I think it’s most satisfying for readers to read and view this book at their own pace.

The illustrations are glorious. They’re top notch wonderful. There is even a 4 page pull out illustration that is fitting for this subject. I particularly loved the miniature pictures of the various wildlife and natural features of the area and mini-maps, etc. I appreciated the wonderful large map drawing of the Grand Canyon National Park and the surrounding area including some of what is right outside its boundaries. They start on the front and inside front cover and go to the back inside and back cover. Every page is beautiful and educational.

This book would have been a very favorite of mine when young, especially when I was 10 years old and had particular interest in geology. Even though when our 5th grade classes were combines with the 4th grade classes for a science module and I chose volcanoes, I was interested in all things geology. Really my interest has never waned. If I’d read it at ages 7-9 I might have started loving geology at an earlier age, especially since from early childhood, age 4 or so?, I loved rocks and shells. Highly recommended now to all children. This would make a great gift for many girls and boys; they don’t even have to already be interested in the subject. I think this book will get many kids interested in the Grand Canyon. It’s a fascinating account. So much information is packed into the book. I appreciate that the author explained what is not known as well as what is known about the Grand Canyon.

I’m reading a book about the history and present of Native Americans right now and especially relished seeing where various Native tribes/Nations are in the areas near and in Grand Canyon Park.

There is a very welcome and informative and explanatory author’s note in the back. He answered questions I didn’t even know I had. There is also an acknowledgments section, and a selected sources section listing books, websites, papers, and a list for further reading.

This is a nearly perfect book, in my opinion. I want to recommend it to every child I know and all adults who have particular interest in this subject and can enjoy reading a children’s non-fiction picture book. The author/illustrator did his homework and it’s obvious the book was a labor of love. I adored it. It would be a treasure edition to all school libraries, all libraries, all homes that include young people.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update, post-trip: I had been to Arizona many times, but oddly, never once had been to the Grand Canyon, one of the geological wonders of the world, so it was on that list one makes, and this summer we drove to my sister Nancy's new house overlooking Grand Lake (at the western entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park), visited Uncle Terry in southern Utah, and then visited The Grand Canyon. Such a simple, anglo name for something so magnificent, named as my home town Grand Rapids, with its Grand River, ugh. We hiked all along the South Rim, got up at 5 am to hike before the promised extreme heat down down down the switchbacks to the river, and back up again. We never saw the true colors anywhere in the west thanks to the horrific California wildfires and the smoking of the West, much like happened in our last trek through California in 2015.

Honestly, though I gave this book 4 stars, I hadn't been that engaged in this book. It is an obvious accomplishment in research and art, and award-worthy, and it has its human center a trip to the Canyon by Jason and his own kid, but I found it a thin story and a kind of research-heavy non fiction book (though I forced everyone in my family to read it). While there, I bought it, which I had initially gotten from the library. As we all reread it on our return, we realize how alive the book now seems through our experience. Maybe this is always true, but it is certainly true for our reading of this fine book. All the information now seems important to me. But I have a niggling concern for all the environmentalist books out there hoping to make an impact on our commitment to and voting for the environment. Maybe we also have to be there to fully "get it."

A 2018 Caldecott Honor Book (runner-up to the winner of the medal, Wolf in the Snow), this is a throughly researched and beautifully illustrated mostly informational book that tells the kinda slight story of a man backpacking through The Grand Canyon with his young son. The book is packed with background about archeological history, flora and fauna, and features full color, powerful vistas.

I picked it up 1) because I saw it on the recent Caldecott list and 2) because I am--for the first time in my life--going to hike in the Grand Canyon in August, so I will be buying this book after I return it to the library. I've read it a couple times, and everyone in this house is reading it.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This educational book on the Grand Canyon is fantastic. The artwork is amazing and there is a ton of information in it. There are little cutouts here and there to keep 5 year old boys engaged. This goes through all the layers of the canyon and it imagines what the canyon looked like at that time millions of years ago. There were 2 distinct eras when the whole canyon was under the sea. That is crazy to me.

We see all the animals at the different levels and so much information is given about the canyon. Any child interested in the way the world works will love this. It’s a nice little story and it is well researched.

My kids are very wiggly right now and not interested in anything serious. I don’t know why, but they just want to laugh and be free, go figure. So, they were interested in this for a bit and lost interest and then got interested again. It wasn’t easy finishing this.

The nephew gave this 2 stars for being so slow while the niece does enjoy learning even being squirmy. She was interested, just not now, so she gave this 3 stars. I would say this is for kids with focus and interest in learning things.

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly and yes, truth be told, Jason Chin really does make me very much want to visit the Grand Canyon in person with this simply marvellous marriage of informative text and brightly imaginative but still always realistic accompanying illustrations (and yes, I can certainly see how and why Grand Canyon won Chin a 2018 Caldecott Honour designation). Informative and engaging without (in my opinion) even once being monotonous, dragging and yes, glory be, also without overburdening potential readers (both independent perusers and teachers, parents etc. reading aloud) with too much complicated science specific jargon, my favourite part of Grand Canyon definitely has to be Jason Chin's cleverly depicted juxtaposition of geologic present and geologic past (with imagined time travelling into the latter giving readers not only information on ancient rock formations and how the Grand Canyon was slowly through millions of years carved into the landscape by water, by the relentless flow of the Colorado River, but also and equally presenting portraits of geologic era specific life forms and how life slowly over time evolved from one celled to multi-celled animals and plants). Combined with detailed and expansive supplemental information (on geology, ecology, fossils, as well as a list of books, websites and articles for further study and research), I do very highly recommend Jason Chin's Grand Canyon (and not just to and for children above the age of seven or so, but indeed also to and for interested adults who are looking for a simple but still informative and thorough introduction to the Grand Canyon both now and then). And indeed, the only reason why I am rating this here Kindle edition of Grand Canyon with four and not five stars is that frustratingly, the font size for the author's printed words are in my opinion much too tiny and minuscule for comfortable reading (even with me donning glasses).

[Donalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning illustrations with engaging text. Do not miss the extensive back matter with additional information and resources about Grand Canyon.

[Agnė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grand Canyon is a nonfiction picturebook packed with well-researched textual and visual information about Grand Canyon's geology and ecology:



And the thoroughness of the back matter is truly impressive:


But even though it doesn't shy away from the scientific vocabulary, Jason Chin's tour-like narration is clear and engaging. What is more, some of Chin's gorgeous photorealistic illustrations, which follow a father and daughter of East Asian descent on their hike, include die-cuts that serve like windows to the ancient environments during different stages of the Grand Canyon's formation:


And the last double gate fold is breathtaking!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can see why this book won so many awards. This was obviously a labor of love for author Chin. He takes us through the different levels and habitats of the Grand Canyon, introducing us to the flora and fauna of each region. Best of all, he gives us the clearest picture I’ve ever seen of the canyon’s geological development—simply outstanding! He also talks about the human history of the area and the fossils that can be found there. It’s like a guidebook that both kids and adults could use. A copy of this belongs in every American library. There’s nothing else like it!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderfully illustrated book discusses the geology and ecology of the Grand Canyon. It's certain to be a hit with youngsters vacationing there or who are interested in science. I loved the way Chin used margins to extend learning. Chin even offers a bibliography which would be useful for older people interested in learning more about this masterpiece of God's handiwork.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Chin, author/artist extraordinaire, whose previous picture-book forays into the world of natural history include Redwoods , Coral Reefs , and Island: A Story of the Galápagos , here turns his attention to the 'grandest canyon' on earth, and the result is a distinct triumph! Using the imaginative framing device of a young girl and her father hiking up from the bottom of the canyon to the South Rim - Chin often uses a fictional framing device to highlight his non-fictional content - the book explores the different levels of this magnificent geological formation, progressing through time as the characters move upward through different layers of rock. Species of animal and plant-life present in each distinct eco-system - Grand Canyon contains many - are featured in border illustrations around the main panel on each page. Fossils that the girl finds on her hike are revealed via die-cut hole in the page, with the ancient ecosystem that produced them - the oceans, deserts and mudflats that once covered the area - revealed on the next page. An extensive afterword gives more information about the region, and includes an author's note and an extensive list of sources and further reading.

I have long been a fan of Jason Chin, whose works of picture-book natural history are frequently as entertaining as they are educational. I recommend his books all the time at work, and always draw people's attention to his use of fictional story-lines to make his non-fictional elements more engaging and relatable to young people. I was therefore thrilled to see Grand Canyon, and now that I have had the chance to read through it, can report that it is the best yet, of Chin's many amazing books! I finished the book feeling better informed about the Grand Canyon, and with a much stronger desire to visit this amazing place. The artwork, done in pen and ink, watercolor and gouache, is simply breathtaking, capturing the awesome beauty of its subject. The innovative design, with die-cut holes and a full four-page fold-out painting of the Grand Canyon as a whole, makes the book all the more enjoyable. In short: an amazing work! Highly recommended to anyone looking for picture-books with an ecological or scientific theme, as well as to anyone intending to visit the Grand Canyon. Hopefully one day the latter category will include me...

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning, informative, mentor text. This book is not to be missed.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this might finish up the last of the award winners and honor books from this year's ALA awards. What a lovely book to end these Award winners! Not only is it lovely with incredible detail, the book will be extremely useful for librarians to hand out to students who are studying the Grand Canyon. Of course, I live in the state next to the Grand Canyon (California), but this geological formation, one of the grandest canyons in the world, will be of interest to students throughout the USA, Canada and Mexico, and anywhere else where geology is taught to children. Chin has a father and daughter hike the Grand Canyon from the north to the south rim, going through the various locations that Chin had actually gone through. He notes that the Grand Canyon is so extensive and huge, that no one lifetime is enough to visit the entire area involved. Chin tells about each ecological community along the way as well as how those communities change with the elevation and explains the various many geologic formations along the way that help shape these communities. His afterword very carefully notes where he took liberties with the truth, such as leaving out one bit that can only be traveled by car and conveniently locating the fossils the girl finds along their trail. All the fossils are real, but he moved their location to provide continuity with the story. He also cautions readers to leave any fossils they find exactly where they were so geologists can study them in their correct location and not have information disappear from the Canyon. Certainly every single library and hopefully every single branch in Arizona should have this marvelous book. Any branch that is located in the US where geology is studied, should get a copy. And really, ideally, all American library systems should have at least one copy of this in their collection. Of course, if your school system wants to pair a fiction book with this nonfiction, the no brainer title that comes immediately to mind is Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is practically two books in one; it can be used as a picture book for younger students, and as informational text for anyone doing research on the Grand Canyon. When I first saw the endpapers, I thought, "Oh, another brown book about the Grand Canyon and Arizona." Imagine my surprise when I started the actual story only to find beautiful blue nighttime scenes. I like the way many pages were designed with a border of animals matching the habitat. All of the additional extra touches, peekaboo clues to the next page, a large foldout make sense for this thorough treatment. The backmatter shows how painstakingly Chin did his research, down to minor liberties he took with the story and illustrations.

It would be interesting to have students think of ways they could portray traveling through time, and you could encourage them to think of rocks, fossils, and formations similar to the way Chin does now.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caldecott Honor 2018

This beautifully illustrated, fully researched, non-fiction picture book has earned its place as a Caldecott honor book. The book smoothly depicts a trip, that a father and daughter hike, from the deepest elevation in the canyon, up to the top. It's filled with details and illustrations about geology, ecology, and animals that thrive at the Grand Canyon.

Personally, I could have done without all the geological aspects to the book, and would've been fully satisfied with the varying climates and ecosystems based on the elevation, plants, and animals that inhabit the depicted environment. However, these thoughts are simply based on my own personal interests and beliefs.

Note: This book is written using a typical geological timeline, so just be aware that "millions of years" old is used throughout the text to explain the varying rock layers and formations.

[Lauren Perlstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book: Non-Fiction, Picture Book

Copyright Date: 2017

Estimate of age level of interest: Grades 2-6

Estimate of reading level: Grade 4

Brief description: A young girl and her father explore the Grand Canyon by traveling through the different ecological communities, discovering how the Grand Canyon was formed, what it was like in the past, and the wonderful diversity of life there today.

Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book:
Non-fiction text and illustrations reveal diversity and avoid stereotypes: One of the many wonderful details about the book Grand Canyon by Jason Chin is the diversity shown in both the text and illustrations. The main characters in the story are a young girl and her father, both of whom are of Asian descent, which is a refreshing look at who the adventurers are in the Grand Canyon. Throughout the book, Jason Chin, through illustrations represents a wide variety of the wildlife living amidst the various layers of the Grand Canyon. He takes the reader on a journey through the different layers of the canyon and fills every other page with diverse species, their names, and sometimes a fact or two.
The style creates the feeling of reader involvement: Throughout the book there are features such as small cutouts or peepholes into the next page, which do a great job bringing the reader into the story. The book also acts as a sort of time machine, and takes the reader back in time, millions of years ago to explore what the landscape was like in those times compared to now.

In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?:
This book serves as a thoroughly researched, accurate, imaginative, and exciting book to learn about the Grand Canyon, geology, ecology, past and present. It has the ability to capture the reader in a story while also deepening the reader’s understanding of the topics at hand. The language is accessible to younger children as well as older children. The pictures speak as loud as the words and to read the books with children even younger than the intended audience would also be an enjoyable experience. What an excellent book for teachers and school librarians to add to their nonfiction collections. This book is absolutely useful for a wide audience from young children to adults.

Awards if any:
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred, 01/01/17
Booklist starred (November 15, 2016 (Vol. 113, No. 6)

Published reviews from professional sources e.g. ALA, Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, etc. if any:
Booklist starred (November 15, 2016 (Vol. 113, No. 6)
Horn Book Magazine (January/February, 2017)
Kirkus Reviews (December 1, 2016)
Publishers Weekly (November 28, 2016)
School Library Journal (January 1, 2017)

[Gary Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Canyon, Jason Chin’s latest picture book, captures the historical, ecological, and geological complexity of the Grand Canyon, as well as its grandeur and beauty. Chin provides depth and detail as he explains the forces that shaped various levels and regions of the canyon, and the animals and plants that inhabit each area. The editorial layout of Grand Canyon holds some surprises for first-time readers, and the interesting images will lure those readers back for rewarding repeat visits.

[superawesomekt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you and/or a child you know love non-fiction or you are planning a trip to this National Park then this book is a fabulous one to check out. The illustrations and the explanation of the geology of the Grand Canyon are very accessible and appealing. My 4 year old daughter especially loved it. Highly recommended!!

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding children's picture book exploring the science behind the Grand Canyon. Accessible, easy-to-read with beautiful images and packed with tons of facts. Especially fitting for any child reading level grade 2-7 who's planning a trip to the Grand Canyon or loves science, particularly geology.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

4ish stars.

Illustrations: 4.5
Story: 3.5

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Canyon written and illustrated by Jason Chin is a beautifully drawn introduction to the ecology of Arizona's Grand Canyon. Readers follow a father and daughter as they make their way from the bottom to the top, discovering the canyon's life, both past and present.

Having visited the Canyon twice I really love and appreciate this well-crafted, beautifully illustrated
well-researched book. Minor quibbles are that I would love to see larger versions of the animal and plant illustrations, and that the absence of other hikers might give the impression that few people travel the canyon, which is incorrect, thought the Kaibab Trail is less traveled than the Bright Angel trail.

Chin uses well placed die cuts to show how a fossil today was a living creature millions of years ago, usually in a totally different environment. Chin's artwork was created with pen and ink, watercolor, and gouache. Illustrations show the ecological communities, rock layer formations, and a cross section of the Grand Canyon.

Most appealing are the illustrations of animals and plants. Highlighted animals and plants include mountain lion, red spotted toad, cottonwoods, deer, black spotted sparrow, collared lizard, California Condors, barrel cactus, pinion jay, bighorn sheep, raven, stellar jays, Albert's squirrel, ponderosa Pine and elk. Fossils shown include trilobite, ripple marks, huge dragonflies, and reptile footprints. Other unique border illustrations include ringtail, chuckwalla, banana yucca, Mormon Tea, Unita chipmunk, and desert shrew.

Most impressive is a four page pullout picture of the canyon and a two page overhead map of the canyon. Back matter include human history in the canyon, ecology, geology, how canyons are carved, the Colorado River, the Story in the Rocks, and Author's note. Selected sources include books, websites, papers and a bibliography. I strongly recommend this book (5 stars) for both the story and the excellent information and visuals included for older readers.

[Lesley Burnap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visually stunning, meticulously researched with multiple resources & information in the back matter. Illustrations look akin to photographs. Chin uses two characters-a young girl and her father-to walk through the canyon and pull us through the book. Some reveries by the child give you an idea of what was once at each layer. Story line of the father and daughter hike through the canyon can be followed by even the youngest reader. Illustrations under this layer of "storytelling" provide more background information about the canyon itself. This gorgeous, informational text will be one children (and adults) will return to again and again. Highly recommended, especially if you are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon or are just a fan of natural beauty.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not for me. I find the level of detail surrounding the rock formations and names to really bog down the flow of this narrative, and the notion that it is a man and his daughter exploring was completely lost on me.

I think in some ways, this is an interesting companion to Island, one of his other picture books, as it also tells the story of evolution... through rocks. It has the same sort of linear timeline narrative arc and includes what animals and plants existed throughout the Grand Canyon's history.

The illustrations are very beautiful, and it's clear that the research that went into this was robust and thoughtful. However, it didn't have the same dreamy effect on me that Island did.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This informational book has rich vocabulary and beautiful illustrations. The book gives a walkthrough of the different layers of the Grand Canyon along with what wildlife and prehistoric fossils are found there. There is mention of canyons and rivers, erosion, ecological groups of animals and plants, animal adaptations, rock layers, fossils, prehistoric insects and animals, and also deeper information about the Inner Gorge, Grand Canyon Supergroup, Redwall Limestone, and Kaibab Formation.

This would be fantastic in a classroom or even as just a quick read before vacationing to the Grand Canyon. I learned a ton!

Caldecott Honor Book 2018
AR Level 6.9

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous picture book about the Grand Canyon. Jason Chin leads us on a hike through the canyon and through its history. We follow a father and daughter as they hike from one end of the canyon to the other and as they traverse the different ecological and geological areas of the canyon. The illustrations are breathtaking and super realistic. There are even cutouts that lead to pages describing the historical period of that level of the canyon. The backmatter is really impressive and very thorough. This is a beautiful book and not to be missed.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book exploring the geography and majesty of the canyon!! The author takes us on a journey through the canyon, but also a trip through time to learn how the Grand Canyon was formed and how it may have appeared throughout the Earth's history. This was engaging and full of detailed information. The illustrations are remarkable. And it contains a wonderful bibliography in case you want to learn more.

[Kifflie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a spectacular work of nonfiction. Chin follows a father and daughter as they explore the various layers and climates of the Grand Canyon. It's terrific when the illustrations put the girl back in time as if she were living millions of years ago in the desert, or in an ocean. I think this is very effective. The book really gives you an idea of how astonishing the Grand Canyon really is.

[Aliza Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Chin's books are stunning, visually and textually. There is so much to look at in the pages' main illustrations and borders. Incredible imagination of what the Grand Canyon looked like over various periods of time over millions of years enhances the reader's appreciation and understanding. Excellent end notes extend the ideas in the main text.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with illustrations and information about the Grand Canyon and how it got to be the way it is. Full color illustrations on large pages make the book accessible even to those for whom the text may be too lengthy. Great for kids who are taking a road trip out to the Grand Canyon and want to know more before they get there.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing look at this natural wonder. It is an in depth look at the canyon, both present day and in the past. There is a wealth of information in the text accompanied by stunning illustrations. If this doesn’t win multiple awards, I will be shocked! Looking forward to sharing with my students who are analyzing books for the Mock Sibert Award.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of information about the canyon. Illustrations follow girl and her dad on hike, and imagine them there too at different geological times in the canyon’s past. Love the border of local flora and fauna and the foldout spread capturing in a small way the grandeur of the place. Technical info in text and back matter pretty advanced stuff.

[Kim Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for kids of all ages. Chin did a great job with the illustrations of Grand Canyon as well as illustrations of the fauna and flora. I love the way he organized the information. It actually could be used as a read aloud as well as a research book.