Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of the
Species, this title takes readers around the world on a voyage of discovery
with the famous scientist, from his early meeting with Captain Fitzroy to his
modest return nearly five years later. The book also looks at seafaring in the
early 19th-century, including navigation equipment, the captain and crew, and
life on board ship. We explore in depth the discoveries which Darwin made on
the voyage, the specimens he gathered and the conclusions be came to. The final
part of the book deals with his famous writings and the contemporary reaction
to the idea of evolution. The book features cutaway diagrams of the ship,
illustrations of the journey, maps, contemporary paintings, and photographs
from Darwins published works. Informative captions, a complete glossary, time
lines and an index make this title an ideal educational text. It is an ideal
text for shared and guided reading for Key Stage 2 pupils within the framework
of the National Literacy Strategy. It helps achieve the goals of the Scottish
Standard Curriculum 5-14, promoting positive attitudes to learning,
knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the world and skills in
literacy.

About the Author
Fiona Macdonald studied History at Cambridge University and at the University
of East Anglia. She has might in schools and adult education, and has written
many books on historical topics, mainly for children. Mark Bergin was born in
Hastings, England, in 1961. He studied at Eastbourne College of Art and has
specialised in historical reconstructions, aviation and maritime subjects since
1983. He lives in Bexhill-on-Sea with his wife and children.