The Shortest Day:
Celebrating the Winter Solstice

Wendy Pfeffer, Illustrated by Jesse Reisch
Dutton Children’s Books, New York, NY, 2003

Review by Jacqui James
Co-editor, UU Faith Works

In lyrical prose and cozy illustrations, this book explains what the winter solstice is and how it has been celebrated by various cultures throughout history. Using clear, concise language, the author discusses important ideas behind the shortest day of the year, such as the change from autumn to winter as well as the concept of the Earth’s tilting away from the sun. The historical view provides a brief look at the days of prehistoric sun worship as well as chronological interpretations of the phenomenon from 5000 to 1000 years ago. The ideas of ancient Egyptian, Chinese, Incan, and European astronomers and their efforts to explain this scientific wonder are explained. The remaining pages feature more complete “Solstice Facts,” four simple experiments, two party suggestions, and a short bibliography for further reading. Appropriate for ages 5 through 10.

Life on Earth
The Story of Evolution

By Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 2002

Review by Jacqui James
Co-editor, UU Faith Works

Beautifully illustrated with stunning cut-and-torn-paper collage, Jenkins traces the history of Earth from its beginnings billions of years ago, through the emergence of the first bacteria, development of such organisms as jellyfish, ferns, dinosaurs, mammals and birds, on up to humans. The book presents such concepts as mutation, extinction, and Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest.” At the end of the book a bar chart shows our planet’s 4.5 billion year history as a single twenty-four-hour day. Here is science at its most inviting. Ages 6-10.