The Universe Verse { Review }
A couple of years ago, I stumbled on a forum conversation asking about secular resources to teach children the origins of the universe from a scientific perspective. Someone passed me a short PDF of “The Universe Verse” but back then, the book was not complete, and all I could do was cross my fingers and hope that one day, I’d be able to get my hands on the final product.
You can imagine how surprised I was when the author, James Dunbar, contacted me on Twitter about reviewing his completed book. I was even more surprised when the book showed up in my mail box, and it included not only the first book I had heard about “Bang: The Universe Verse: Book 1” on the Big Bang and the origins of the universe, but two more, “It’s Alive: The Universe Verse: Book 2” on the origins of life, and “Great Apes! The Universe Verse: Book 3” on evolution.
These books are special because they take something as complicated as atom fusion, and turn it into a lovely, rhyming poem, delivered in comic book form. Every page is heavily illustrated, and every concept is broken down into the simplest explanation. The catch is that there really is nothing simple at all about the science, so even after reading a couple of times, I learn something new when I crack it open. But, the information is all there, and accessible!
I really think this book is going to prove to be invaluable to secular homeschoolers who want to tackle these topics with their kids. There is more than enough content here to use this one book as a spine for a semester or more of science class. It covers everything from cellular reproduction, to the elements, genetics, cell structure… and a whole bunch more. You could pair it with a solid science encyclopedia to help your child really understand the concepts, and have a wonderful year. If you wanted to use this book for school, I would recommend using it with kids no younger than middle school, although both my 6 and 8 year old children are enjoying hearing me read it aloud, and love pouring over the pictures. Bug I think understands a good amount of the science too- which is amazing to me because this isn’t an easy topic!
You can grab The Universe Verse from Amazon or the authors website. This book is a solid hard cover, with thick glossy pages, and will hold up to tons of use. The first book, “Bang” is illustrated in black and white pen drawings, and the second two are in beautiful full color. For December only, you can snag the PDF version of the first book FREE at James Dunbar’s website.
** A note to Creation-lead homeschoolers- this is a fully secular book, and does not include any discussion of creationism. Evolution and the Big Bang are both discussed using scientific principals, and at no point did I notice any disparaging comments against any other theory or belief system. The Universe Verse is a wonderful resource, but may not be appropriate for all homes. **
This book looks stunning! Would you say there is anything “anti-religious” about the book? As in, if a Christian evolutionist wants to use it, are there any disparaging comments about religion, or is the topic not broached at all?
The topic of religion is not broached at all in the book- the only thing I can see that could *maybe* be taken offensively is that on the back of the book there is a joke warning label that reads “This Book contains graphic depictions of scientific knowledge which may lead to decreased ignorance and heightened sensations of awe and wonder.” I don’t know if it’s meant to be a “dig” but I can see how it could be read that way. If that bothers you, it’s nothing a piece of duct tape wouldn’t fix 😉
The content however doesn’t have a single thing I bristled at- I didn’t notice anything that would merit a warning to my readers. Hope that helps!
That helps a lot! Prior to being a mommy, I was a physicist, so I definitely want “real” science… all without denying a higher power. 🙂 These books just look gorgeous. Adding to my wish list.