What do you think?
Rate this book
Annabelle & Aiden: SAPIENS: Our Human Evolution
Where did humans come from? What is our story?
Join Annabelle & Aiden as their friend Lucy retraces our first steps in Africa. We fan across the globe, encountering the strangest human (and nonhuman) from twenty-foot sloths to tiny dwarves in faraway lands. We learn to cook. Express ourselves. Farm, build empires, and fall in love. We dream of kings, gods, and monsters, and light our world with a scientific revolution. Discover how our shared story can overcome our differences. How it's etched deep into our we're all children of Lucy, and have far more in common than we think.
Join Annabelle & Aiden as their friend Lucy retraces our first steps in Africa. We fan across the globe, encountering the strangest human (and nonhuman) from twenty-foot sloths to tiny dwarves in faraway lands. We learn to cook. Express ourselves. Farm, build empires, and fall in love. We dream of kings, gods, and monsters, and light our world with a scientific revolution. Discover how our shared story can overcome our differences. How it's etched deep into our we're all children of Lucy, and have far more in common than we think.
30 pages, Hardcover
Published February 24, 2019
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 15, 2021
Wonderful book, love the story the illustration, and the educational content it has something for both adults and children and I see it as being fun for both. My only issue is pages 26 and 27.
" We're all the same, but different, all different but the same, we come in different colors, but we share the same name:
This could have been better exemplified by making the people shown more diverse. I look at the continents where the people are so diverse and all I see are people of caucasian descent? No Asians in Asian countries, hardly any dark-skinned people in Africa, and next to no people of Latin of indigenous or even African descent in South America. This book has a map of skin colors but completely forgets to exemplify this on these pages it's not enough to say it to me. I would have loved to see it actually shown, the readers would also benefit from seeing this diversity and it was a turn-off from an otherwise great book for me.
It's a 3.5 for me.
" We're all the same, but different, all different but the same, we come in different colors, but we share the same name:
This could have been better exemplified by making the people shown more diverse. I look at the continents where the people are so diverse and all I see are people of caucasian descent? No Asians in Asian countries, hardly any dark-skinned people in Africa, and next to no people of Latin of indigenous or even African descent in South America. This book has a map of skin colors but completely forgets to exemplify this on these pages it's not enough to say it to me. I would have loved to see it actually shown, the readers would also benefit from seeing this diversity and it was a turn-off from an otherwise great book for me.
It's a 3.5 for me.
May 27, 2019
A gentle and hopeful poem about human evolution. Not really an ape story as it starts right after we left the trees. It shows our journey from Africa to all the continents (and eventually space), from simple tools to kingdoms, from cave paintings to scientific revolution. Though we are the sole survivors of the many different human species, the book tells children we are not alone for we have each other. An excellent introduction to show a child who we are and where we come from. The poetry is simple yet filled with science facts, the drawings childlike yet hidden with details. I admire these books for not lying to kids. I think there should be more creative nonfiction, especially science literature, available to children. I look forward to more Annabelle and Aiden books!
April 16, 2019
The Annabel and Aiden series of science for children and gorgeously illustrated, including supplemental information for adults hidden as part of the illustration (and somewhat hard to read) The books discuss evolution, the big bang, myths in a way to provoke children to ask even more questions that parents are prepared to answer using the adult text. I recommend that parents read the book first before their kids start asking questions!
The reason I don't give the books 5 stars is that Becker has attempted to write the children's text in rhyme, which doesn't always succeed—and he is no poet. However kids seem to enjoy rhymes, so maybe it isn't a problem for them.
The reason I don't give the books 5 stars is that Becker has attempted to write the children's text in rhyme, which doesn't always succeed—and he is no poet. However kids seem to enjoy rhymes, so maybe it isn't a problem for them.
April 16, 2019
My daughter loves these books, I love that you can read just the story for younger kids or dive deeper with the facts swirling through the pictures when they get older. It never fails that we have big beautiful conversations after reading it, and she always seems to pick up on something different. The art is amazing and the story explains big topics without dumbing it down which I love. This is one of those series that when the notification comes in from Kickstarter that a new one is coming my husband backs it instantly no questions need be asked.
April 10, 2019
Fascinating Nonfiction read!
I enjoyed the simple and clear explanations and beautiful illustrations. This account of human evolution, with a main rhyming text and tons of background information hidden in the pictures, keeps the reader’s attention and teaches a whole lot. A great addition to my nonfiction library.
I enjoyed the simple and clear explanations and beautiful illustrations. This account of human evolution, with a main rhyming text and tons of background information hidden in the pictures, keeps the reader’s attention and teaches a whole lot. A great addition to my nonfiction library.
April 24, 2025
There is much to like about this book (and other Annabelle and Aiden titles). What knocks at least one star off for me is the awkward rhymes in the last third of the book. I appreciate how hard it is to both present good information and fit the rhyme scheme, but ouch. I was reading aloud and sputtered to a halt multiple times, finally giving up and just summarizing some bits.
April 6, 2019
Super sapiens story...
Terrific and dramatic illustrations sweep you across the natural history of humanity guided by Lucy--a great way to pique curiosity about the natural sciences.
Terrific and dramatic illustrations sweep you across the natural history of humanity guided by Lucy--a great way to pique curiosity about the natural sciences.
April 8, 2019
Amazing
My daughter and I love this book and this series so much; this book is the perfect addition to our collection.
My daughter and I love this book and this series so much; this book is the perfect addition to our collection.
January 26, 2024
The factual information is very well presented, but the pages showing photos across the world map eclipsed that for me since almost all of the photos show white children and adults.
May 22, 2025
4.25⭐️
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews