Primary Format: Cloth
ISBN: 9781584656968
Published: 04/30/2008
Pages: 72
Size: 8.5 x 11 in.
Subject(s):

Under New England: The Story of New England’s Rocks and Fossils


Charles Ferguson Barker

Cloth: $12.95
Purchase
Under New England introduces the reader (approximately ages 7 to 12) to the formation of the rocks and fossils that lie beneath New England and explains the fascinating geology that defines our landscape. The book presents the incredible story of colliding continents, fiery volcanoes, oceans closing and opening, and ice sheets more than a mile thick slowly scraping across the land—all shaping the place we now know as New England. The book explores the region’s geological past, taking readers far below the familiar sights of New England to show what lies beneath, from the soil under the cobblestone streets of Boston and the sandy shores of Cape Cod, to the mountains of Northern New England and the birth of the Berkshires, from the Precambrian to the present. Most of all, the book will inspire both children and adults to see New England in an entirely different way. Placed throughout the book are poems and quotes relating to the region’s landscape by some of New England’s favorite writers, providing a link from the geology of the land to its literature. Fully illustrated with charming and enlightening illustrations by the author.

Charles F. Barker has creatively filled a niche in the annals of New England geology. With great metaphors and abundant, clear and engaging illustrations, he brings 500 million years of geology home to the reader. While geared to upper elementary aged young people, adults, even professional geologists, will find this book interesting. Dr. Barker takes us from moving tectonic plates to glaciers, ground water, sea levels, and even the geologic underpinning of the "Big Dig," and he weaves his story with poetry quotes, a bit of Latin, and some very effective analogies. Teachers of all ages will love this book for themselves and their students. This is an impressive work. It covers a vast amount of geologic time and events clearly and creatively. I loved the engaging artwork and analogies, as well as the quotations from Frost, Dickinson, Thoreau and others. Kudos to Dr. Barker!
—Dr. Richard Little, former president, National Association of Geoscience Teachers and author of The Geology of the Connecticut River Valley (2003)

CHARLES FERGUSON BARKER, a geologist with a graduate degree in geology from Boston University, has done extensive fieldwork across New England. He now teaches geology at Wayne State University and works for an environmental consulting firm in Detroit. He is the author and illustrator of Under Michigan (2005), and Under Ohio (2007).