THE SIXTH EXTINCTION (YOUNG READERS ADAPTATION)

This young readers’ adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning original reads like a combination of a dystopian novel and a nature documentary.

After a gripping prologue that firmly establishes humans as the cause of the Sixth Extinction, Kolbert navigates the history of the previous Big Five extinctions, introduces scientists who dedicate their lives to understanding them, and describes the efforts of modern researchers who are working to document and advocate for species around the world that are nearing extinction. The book concludes with a conundrum: Now that we know we’re the cause of the Sixth Extinction, what will our evolutionary legacy be? The narrative of this abridged version contains each of the original book’s 13 chapters and is written with specificity and wit. Kolbert’s first-person account conveys technical ideas while also painting pictures of the personalities of the scientists themselves. The descriptions of creatures—some encountered as fossils—are pithy and vivid. Some scientific concepts and terms are explained, but in general a strong grasp of evolution and scientific principles is required to appreciate the text. The book has a few simple line drawings but no charts, photographs, or other visual means of clarification; more serious omissions are the lack of a bibliography and source notes. However, in addition to clearly synthesizing a large amount of research, this book’s virtue lies in the emotional gut punch it delivers.

A wide-ranging, urgent, and emotionally effective call to action.