“Animals Charles Darwin Saw” is a great book. It has fantastic and colorful illustrations. It is interesting with very cool true facts. The book describes unique animals that live only in the Galapagos such as marine iguanas and giant tortoises. This book has good information about Charles Darwin and the animals and insects he saw in the Galapagos Islands and other places he visited on his five-year journey on the HMS Beagle.

Charles Darwin was a brilliant scientist. He made many contributions to the world of science. He was one of the founders of the theory of evolution. The theory of evolution proposes that animals change over time to suit their environment.

Darwin’s father had wanted him to be a doctor. But Charles found medicine dull and boring. When that didn’t work out, his father decided he wanted Charles to be a clergyman. But Charles had other ideas. He wanted a job that had to do with outdoors and nature (some of his favorite things!).

What started his career was a letter written requesting him to be an assistant to a naturalist on the HMS Beagle. The HMS Beagle was a British navy ship that was commissioned to survey the coast of South America and then continue sailing around the world. The naturalist on the adventure was to study the wildlife and collect samples. He was definitely up for it! In fact, before being invited on the HMS Beagle he had made money by finding new species of insects and selling them to earn money.

Charles Darwin had many exciting and funny experiences on his adventures in the Galapagos Islands and the other places he visited. He once put a bug in his mouth and the captive insect spit out gross acid from its behind! He had another encounter where he let a bug suck his blood because he thought it was interesting. This was thought later on to have had an influence in his health (as he became ill when he returned to England.)

He had quite a collection of animals, insects and birds. His job was fit for him! He was a terrific observer, was interested in science and loved the outdoors.

Although sometimes he got sick on the HMS Beagle, he still had a fantastic adventure and fond memories of it. I definitely recommend this extraordinary book and I think it’s a great way to learn about Charles Darwin’s life.

RACHEL BURNS is a fourth-grader at Harriet Beecher Elementary Stowe School in Brunswick.