muddypuddle's review against another edition
4.0
This picture book, perfect for elementary age kids and a great introduction to classification in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade, is interesting and informative. I had no ideas that the classification system was created by a Swedish young man who had a love for flowers and became a college professor - in the early to mid 1700s. Fascinating! Excellent book.
Includes an afterward, easy explanation of how the classification works, a timeline, and resource list.
Includes an afterward, easy explanation of how the classification works, a timeline, and resource list.
nerfherder86's review against another edition
5.0
Picture book biography about the Swedish scientist (1707-1778) who created the classification system for naming plants, animals, insects, and the rest of the natural world, using "kingdom" "class" etc. Artwork is pen and ink and watercolor, with beautiful flowing lines, colorful, fits the calligraphic style of the pullout quotations from Linnaeus. Everything is sourced, and author's note explains how his system evolved over time, as other scientists improved upon it ("Quadrupedia" is now "Mammalia" for example). I found it touching that near the end of his life, because he could no longer go outside in his beloved nature, he had a garden inside his bedroom, of pictures of flowers everywhere.
crystal_reads's review against another edition
I love the idea of a book that discusses classification and how our taxonomies came about, but I came away from the book completely unaware of some major information about Carolus Linnaeus. I know the book is not about racism, but to not include that aspect of his classification system is a bit of a problem. While reading Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi, I saw Linnaeus' name and there learned that he classified humans into four different groups with Europeans at the top of the hierarchy. The descriptors were horrible and the racism it contributed to even more so. I wish this had been addressed because I and any other readers come away from the book with no knowledge of this. If I use this book with students in the future, we will also discuss this aspect of his system, but I will need an outside resource to do so.
More...