Older Than Dirt

Almost 14.5 billion years ago, it all started with a Big Bang. What began as a cloud of gas, dust, and rock eventually took shape and bloomed into a molten sphere. Battered by asteroid collisions, ice ages, and shifting tectonic plates, our fledgling planet finally pushed forth continents. But if you think the earth has calmed down since then-think again!

In this illustrated history of earth, the Sibert Honor medalist Don Brown teams up with geologist Michael Perfit to tell the strange-but-true saga of our planetary home. A knowledgeable groundhog and his earthworm sidekick take young readers through a wide range of topics-from solar energy and liquid magma to the ozone layer and the formation of mountains. Plus mini-biographies of scientists are included throughout.