"Bang! And that was it, the beginning of everything." So begins this beautifully illustrated, panoramic story of evolution. Author and illustrator Michael Rubino conveys not only the facts but also the excitement of the scientific explanation of our world, from the origin of the universe in the big bang to the present reality of our planet, teeming with life but threatened by overpopulation and pollution.Parents looking for an easy-to-understand guide to the scientific worldview for their children will find the perfect source here. The formation of stars and galaxies; the origin of our solar system and planet Earth; the epochal march of life from single-celled organisms through sponges, worms, insects, fish, dinosaurs, birds, and early mammals; and the evolution of the first humans from their simian cousins-it's all here. This book is an eloquent blend of art and science that tells the most important story so far known.