Re: Children's Book: Suggestions Solicited

[chris brochu <gator@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Although I agree with the "scalae naturae" argument, there is something to
>be said for "salesmanship" of the material. Upper grade elementary school
>kids would LOVE that title, and it would make them more likely to read
>it. 

It would also prevent school libraries from ever purchasing it, thus
preventing most kids from reading it.  Have you ever listened to a
creationist?  One of their primary arguments is that "those bad, evil
evolutionists say we came from slime, and therefore have no divine origin."
 Trying to explain that our immediate ancestors were earlier forms of human
does little good.  Around here, a book with that title would never make it
into a school.


You could always point out the "scalae naturae" problem in the text of
>the book. In fact, that might be a good chapter.  But you would definitely
>want them to think it's a "Cool" book from the start.

"Life Has a History" is very cool by itself.  


chris


::::::::::::::::
Christopher Brochu
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712

http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~brochu/brochuhp.html

gator@mail.utexas.edu