Older Than Dirt: A Wild but True History of Earth

The award-winning cartoonist offers “a witty history of the planet” for young readers—covering everything from the Big Bang to climate change (Publishers Weekly).

Almost 14.5 billion years ago, it all started with a Big Bang. What began as a cloud of gas, dust, and rock eventually took shape and bloomed into a molten sphere. Battered by asteroid collisions, ice ages, and shifting tectonic plates, our fledgling planet finally pushed forth continents. But if you think the earth has calmed down since then—think again!

In this illustrated history of earth, the Sibert Honor medalist Don Brown teams up with geologist Michael Perfit to tell the strange-but-true saga of our planetary home. A knowlegeable groundhog and his earthworm sidekick take young readers through a wide range of topics—from solar energy and liquid magma to the ozone layer and the formation of mountains. Plus mini-biographies of scientists are included throughout.

“A guaranteed hit with science lovers and a best bet for convincing skeptics that science is indeed a grand and exciting adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews

© 2020 HMH Books for Young Readers (Ebook): 9781328468277

Release date

Ebook: 15 December 2020