How Did I Get Here?

August 1, 2019
From the Big Bang to you, in 40 pages. It's clear from the cover that Bunting has set his sights pretty high: "Your Story from the BIG BANG to Your BIRTHDAY" greets readers at the top of the cover and on the title page. He jumps right in, too--in the first seven pages, readers learn that before the Big Bang, the entire universe was condensed into a space smaller than an orange before exploding into a multitude of (amusingly multilingual) particles with googly eyes. From there, readers are presented with a truncated history of the sciences, from physics to evolution. Educators or caregivers should brace themselves for the flurry of questions that the text invites. The illustrations--a mix of gouache and acrylic--are mostly helpful but may mislead in their necessary simplification. The largest visual misconception is that animals have evolved in a direct line from single-celled organisms to humans. The text intimates at branching ("And from an ancestor we share with chimps, we slowly evolved into the species we are today"), but that's not supported by the illustrations, which imply something much more linear. Sadly, the text has also been overly simplified in some places. For example, in a discussion of pregnancy, "somewhere inside your mom's tummy" fails both to recognize gender complexity and to use anatomically accurate language. Amusing but lacking. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

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August 12, 2019
“All life is one.” Bunting challenges readers to think about how they are connected in this humorous and personal journey through the evolution of life on Earth. In a conversational tone that weaves the silly with the informative, the volume begins with the Big Bang (which occurred “in about the time it takes to eat an ice cream cone”) and continues to the first life-form (oddly called “this little lady” in one spread), the emergence of creatures and humans, and the arrival of the reader Earthside. In bold, thickly painted gouache and acrylic illustrations, Bunting gives nearly every character—molecules, planets, and humans—googly eyes and comedic interjections (“How me get here?” asks a caveperson). On the whole, this lighthearted, informative book, with its Saganesque message, is a journey through time and space worth taking. Ages 4–8.

November 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 3-This witty, conversational book indeed spans from "the Big Bang to your birthday." This condensed history of the universe covers the planets in our solar system, the watery birth of life on Earth, and the historical patterns of human migration. Bunting's treatment of these complex topics is accessible, and despite the vast scope of the narrative, it never feels unwieldy. Straightforward text and charming, bright illustrations celebrate life, the universe, and all its parts. An author's note emphasizes that all life forms are connected, and encourages readers to care for Earth and its inhabitants. VERDICT A delightful addition to any collection.-Jen McConnel, Queen's University, Ont.

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2019
Grades K-3 After the big bang, in about the time it takes to eat an ice cream cone, all the pieces that make up our universe were created. Those particles formed everything in our solar system. Long afterwards, single-celled life-forms emerged in Earth's waters. Their descendants became land animals, including, eventually, humans. People roamed the earth, learned to farm, built cities, and had children, including you. The amusing final picture, showing a lineup of one boy and six aliens, comments that if any little thing had changed since the big bang, you might be different, too. It's an ambitious picture book that tackles cosmology, evolution, and prenatal development, and an unusual one that succeeds on all fronts. Here the text is lively, but the explanations of science are oversimplified and sometimes tenuous, particularly regarding the formation of the universe and the emergence of life. Created with gouache and acrylics, the engaging illustrations feature brightly colored particles as well as personified cells and animals making occasional comments in speech balloons. Overall, an appealing picture book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

May 31, 2018
At some point the little kid in your life will venture to ask the question feared by most adults: ‘How did I get here?’ The history of life is a big concept to wrap young minds around, and Philip Bunting’s latest picture book is a good start. Bunting uses simple language to explain complicated ideas: ‘Once upon a time, our entire universe fit into a space smaller than an orange. In those days, there wasn’t much to see around here.’ From the Big Bang’s dust particles, to the creation of planets and suns, the very beginnings of life on earth are described, with the slow progression of aquatic life forms evolving to terrestrial creatures and then homo sapiens. Bunting paints a chronology of human history in broad strokes—migrating from our African origins, learning to farm and then build communities and cities—before narrowing in on the individual reader, addressing them at the end as ‘one of the newest additions to a family tree that goes all the way back to the very first life on Earth’. The illustrations are unfussy and employ a minimal colour scheme—the story is complex enough without messy pictures. Recommended for curious mid-primary scientists who want a simple explanation, How Did I Get Here? is an effective launching pad for more intricate investigation.

Thuy On is a freelance arts journalist and reviewer, and the books editor of the Big Issue