The Voyage of the Beetle won the following awards in 2008:
Zia Award (New Mexico Press Women)
State Book (New Mexico State Library)
| News Media | Online Reviews and Reader Comments |
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Territorial
Tattler (Oklahoma Storyteller's Guild) Longitude News (Apr-May 2008) Science Books & Films (American Association for the Advancement of Science) April 1, 2008 National Center for Science Education (Spring 2008) The Albuquerque Tribune (2-08-2008) Albuquerque Arts (February 2008) The Albuquerque Journal (2-05-2008) The Washington Post (12-16-2007)
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The Santa Fe New Mexican (11-16-2007) Celebrating Darwin (February 2009) The Dispersal of Darwin (2-12-2008) John Hawks' Blog (12-18-2007)
Traveling Jews Blog 
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Celebrating Darwin (February 2009) "...Written from the fanciful perspective of a beetle who accompanied Darwin on his voyage, this title is the clearest explanation of natural selection yet that I have come across for middle grade readers." (Colleeen Mondor, Bookslut)
Territorial Tattler ...Whether or not you "believe" in evolution, the journey of this perceptive young man will open your eyes to greater depths in the wonders of nature--and maybe make you think twice before squashing a beetle. (Fran Stallings, Oklahoma Storyteller's Guild)
Science Books & Films (American Association for the Advancement of Science) April 1, 2008
[The Voyage of the Beagle]....is playful, creative, and beautifully conceived and executed, in terms of both the writing and the wonderful illustrations...I highly recommend this book for all elementary and middle school libraries and as a textbook for use in appropriate science classes. Robert M. Schoc, Boston University.
National Center for Science Education Spring 2008
"Beetle is such an attractive book that it is sure to catch the attention of youngsters. I'd like to see Beetle in the hands of children of the appropriate age, especially if they have knowledgeable parents and teachers nearby to shore up the details, catch misconceptions, and answer the questions that are sure to arise. As Weaver aptly states, "one mystery leads to another."
Longitude Books News April-May 2008
"Narrated by a bright and witty beetle
named Rosie, Anne H.
Weaver's illustrated tale introduces Darwin and his ideas
for ages 9 to 12 with style and authority. Darwin quotes,
maps, diagrams and watercolor paintings add to its
authenticity and appeal." (Longitude,
the specialty bookseller for travelers).
"The Voyage of the Beetle is an excellent choice for fourth graders and higher....Two opposable thumbs up." (Larry Greenly)
The Dispersal of Darwin February 12, 2008
"I am going to make a leap here and say that The Voyage of the Beetle... is one of the most attractive and effective in teaching about natural selection. Concise... and wonderfully illustrated and formatted, The Voyage of the Beetle was a delight to read - and I am glad to have it on my shelf for when my son is older..." (by Michael Barton)
Ruth in North Carolina (Traveling Jews Blog) March 21, 2008
"It is such a pretty book, from the
lovely illustrations to the choice of cream-colored paper which give it
an aged look, like a diary from the 19th century.
And the author is true to the history of Darwin's thinking...."
The Albuquerque Tribune February 8, 2008
"Stoked about Science: Author Anne Weaver hopes her book about Charles Darwin gets kids interested in learning about evolution... (by Ollie Reed Jr.)
The Albuquerque Journal February 5, 2008
"I read Darwin's own
account of 'The Voyage of the Beagle' a few years ago. I fell in love
with Darwin," said Anne H. Weaver, the Santa Fe author of The Voyage
of the Beetle.
"As a young man he was so enthusiastic, so curious, so brilliant, so
observant. And I had the idea that I wanted to make that (trip of
discovery) more accessible to a broader audience." (by
David Steinberg)
The Washington Post review December 16, 2007
In this copiously illustrated introduction to evolution, written by an anthropologist, a rose chafer beetle from a Cambridge garden tags along with Charles Darwin when he signs on in 1831 as the HMS Beagle's naturalist -- or make that "adventurer in the world of ideas." (by Elizabeth Ward)
read more...(scroll down to find the review!)
Science News Books November 24, 2007
"…generously illustrated...[Rosie the beetle accompanies Charles Darwin] ... as he ponders what he calls the mystery of mysteries: Why are there so many species on earth, each fitted to its environment? [Darwin] and Rosie discuss the wonders they see...Rosie feeds Darwin clues in gentle bits, predicting that readers will understand evolution before [Darwin] does."
From the Santa Fe New Mexican (November 16, 2007):
Rob De Walt, (The Santa Fe New Mexican /Pasatiempo, 11/16/07) calls Rosie, the narrator of The Voyage of the Beetle, “riveting.” He describes the book as
“…beautifully illustrated and brilliantly written . . .Author Anne H. Weaver and illustrator George Lawrence explain the Darwinian theory of natural selection by taking readers ...on an oceanic journey with Charles Darwin… and a host of other creatures. As far as children’s books go, this one is quite, er, intelligently designed...”
Online Reviews
John Hawks' Anthropology Weblog December 18, 2007:
[The Voyage of the Beetle] is what my daughter Sophie would call a "chapter book" ... It starts with the real story of Darwin popping a beetle in his mouth, and proceeds along with his journeys and discoveries. Anyway, Sophie made off with it...
Amazon.com Reader Reviews
H. M. Haugh (Amazon.com
review) February 2, 2008
"I began reading this wonderful book the day I brought it home and
was so excited by it that I finished it the very next day. I love it,
and in so many dimensions. I think it is wonderfully evocative of
Darwin's close attention to the wide range of natural phenomenon which
he encountered and his willingness to put it all together in such an
innovative way - but only when nature thrust itself into his vision
(thus, the ingenious use of clues from Rosie, Darwin's imaginary beetle
friend). In my passion for all things Galapagos (I have been there more
than once), I read the Voyage of the Beagle a couple of years ago, and
this book reminded me vividly of some of the most fascinating and
memorable parts of his voyage. I also love the book because I have an
interest in writing for children, and appreciate how this rich and
scientifically sound text makes the concepts of evolution so very
approachable and inviting to this audience.
I think there is a paucity of books for children related to the
Galapagos and Darwin and, given the increasing number of tourists with
children going to the islands, I think this book should be recommended
reading for families headed for Ecuador."
Steve
Thompson (Amazon.com):
"This is an engaging story of the incredible voyage of Charles Darwin that is both adventure story and a fresh look at the world around us. At first blush it is a humorous account of a wise beetle leading the enthusiastic Darwin from discovery to discovery, describing key encounters in his 5-year voyage. But it also leads the reader to consider one of the great scientific theories of our time - how things come to be through natural selection. The clever use of Rosie keeps the pace light and accessible to many age levels without sacrificing intellectual integrity. Lawrence's lush illustrations are beautiful and Weaver's affectionate presentation of Darwin reveal the human side of Charles with a rich factual background. A very engaging read!" Amazon.com customer review)
The Voyage of the
Beetle
A journey around the world with
Charles Darwin and the Search for the Solution to the Mystery of Mysteries,
as Narrated by Rosie, an Articulate Beetle.
