Really nice book, lovely embossed cover, large format with excellent illustrations, some covering both pages. Good subject; Alfred Russel Wallace should get more attention as he is just as interesting as Charles Darwin. However, the editors at Candlewick were napping, and they don't know what some words mean. In particular, the "relentless" efforts to put out the fire aboard Wallace's ship were anything but; maybe the author and editors confused "relentless" with "futile"? Oh well. ( )

This is created by Candlewick Studio, so it's more of a browsing or coffee-table type book than something you'd recommend for research.

It's a beautifully illustrated overview of the life of Alfred Russel Wallace. He was born to a poor but educated family and, despite a brief stint as a teacher, had little formal education. As a young man he decided to explore the world and his interest in nature and traveled to South America, funding his trip by collecting specimens. Wallace discovered many specimens unknown to Western science and traveled across South America and parts of Asia. He persevered through shipwrecks and despite financial instability and his observation of natural history gradually brought him to the attention of Charles Darwin.

Correspondence between the two, as well as Royal scientific associations, ended in both of them coming up with the theory of evolution roughly at the same time. And yet, it is Darwin's name we remember and not Wallace's. At the time the theory was published, Wallace was abroad in the Malay Archipelago. It was his letter suggesting the theory that encouraged Darwin to complete and publish his own research, recognizing both men. However, Wallace was also a humble and diffident man and was pleased that Darwin agreed with his own conclusions and found his writing skills better than his own.

Wallace returned to England at the age of 39 and, despite continued recognition in the scientific community, struggled to support himself and eventually his family. However, he received many awards and was a famous scientist in his day, living to the age of 90.

This is not an in-depth exploration of the theory of evolution or even of Wallace's life. It's an overview, showing highlights from his work, with Tennant's digital illustrations giving a feel of the countries he visited and the creatures he found, rather than detailed scientific drawings. The colors are primarily green and earth-colors, showing broad landscapes. There are brief mentions of the local inhabitants, and Wallace's attitude towards them, as well as some acknowledgement that the "discoveries" made were new only to Western science. The layout of the book is oversized, 11"x13" and there is a brief glossary and a few sources in the back.

Verdict: This is more of a gift for a budding scientist than something a library would normally purchase. I enjoyed reading it, but I love stories of early scientists and naturalists and I realize this is a somewhat niche interest. Still, if you do have a strong reader who is interested in this time period, they may enjoy this volume and it is a lovely book. I hope to interest some readers in my library in perusing its pages.

ISBN: 9781536209327; Published March 2020 by Candlewick Studio; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library