The Sandwalk Adventures: An Adventure in Evolution Told in Five Chapters

A charmingly educational story about follicle mites and Darwin. Brilliantly written and illustrated, absolutely hilarious, well worth the read, and contains lots of real science too! Hooray for Jay Holser!

Evolution is one of the most exciting stories in the history of our planet. It remains therefore a profound mystery as to why there aren't more graphic novels telling the tale. Hosler writes with a deep knowledge and appreciation of the life of Darwin and the history of evolution. Through the use of the graphic novel format and talking eyebrow follicle mites, Hosler communicates one of the most complex theories in a way that anyone can understand. While at times he moves towards poddy humor, it feels strangely appropriate, and Hosler has a profound discussion in the interplay of pedagogical and storytelling approaches with the basics of the theory of evolution. My only regret would be at times Hosler's arguments are slightly weakened through extraneous attacks on the development of religious beliefs, something certainly needing to be addressed within a discussion of acceptance and rejection of evolution, but Hosler's story tangents too far on this road at times. <br /> <br />I am grateful to Dr. PZ Myers for suggesting this book at speech he gave in Seattle. If you love evolution, read this book. If you don't really understand evolution, read this book, and you'll enjoy yourself, and finally get the basics of the theory. If you're a biology teacher, make this required reading, and enjoy the adulation of your students. If you completely reject the theory of evolution...you will get nothing out of this.

This is a charming graphic novel featuring aged Charles Darwin, his family, and a family of mites living in his eyebrow. One mite can speak to him, and so Darwin learns of the mites' myth that the Flycatcher(Darwin's nickname aboard the *Beagle*) is their Creator. Darwin must convince Mara and Willy (the mites) that evolution is real. Along the way we see the world through the mites' wild-eyed myths as well as the charming home life of the Darwins at Down House in England. <br />This is a great introduction to evolution as well as a nice gift. Hosler has done other comics as well. In any case, highly recommended.

I suspect that Professor Jay Hosler is the wacky science teacher that I've always wanted to be like and I have empirical evidence in the form of his delightful graphic novel The Sandwalk Adventures. In the book, Charles Darwin must convince follicle mites living in his left eyebrow that he is not their creator and that evolution happens. Even though that sounds psycho, Hosler manages to explain the basics of Charles Darwin, evolution, and get in some comments about the dangers of blind faith in an entertaining way. Hosler's drawing style is simple, well done, and was most likely strongly influenced by Herge's Tintin. Even though I'm a geoperson and a high school earth science teacher, The Sandwalk Adventures makes me want to take a couple of Professor Hosler's biology classes!