written by Jay Hosler
illustrated by Kevin Cannon and Zander Cannon

When you make science this entertaining and this approachable, it becomes exponentially simpler to grasp. Jay Hosler, an associate professor of biology at Juniata College, is to be commended for taking the graphic format and pushing it to its fullest in Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth. If you ever doubted comics’ potential to teach complicated subjects and render them approachable, look no further.
 
It of course helps that Hosler knows his material quite well, but it’s also beneficial that he’s got a great sense of humor, so none of this scientific exploration becomes too dry. It’s funny and clever, and Hosler manages to cover an incredible amount of material throughout the book’s 150 pages, discussing all manner of life forms on earth and how they all got to where they are now.
 
He’s ably assisted by the illustrative team of Kevin and Zander Cannon, who got their feet wet with The Stuff of Life before really knocking it out of the park here. As great as Hosler’s knowledge and wit can be, they would fall decidedly short if not for the Cannons’ enticing artwork and ability to cram so many panels on a page.
 
This is a book that would be a great addition to a high school science class, as well as school libraries. For that matter, adults wishing to brush up on evolution and learn how it’s been proven, over and over again, would find a great resource here.
 

-- John Hogan

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