On behalf of the Carabid-Q research Team* I am very pleased to present a book about a bombardier beetle for children that is beautifully illustrated by Ainsley Seago and chocked full of facts and fun. This beetle tale is suitable for children and those of us that never grow up.
“Bombo’s Big Question” is a fable about the adventures of a beetle named Bombo who is in search of an explanation for what she sees as her “superpower.” It’s an allegory that intends to promote curiosity, critical thinking, and natural explanations. Ultimately Bombo does find a good answer and one that goes beyond a mechanistic explanation in that the answer connects her personally to the rest of life.
The story is about how evolution provides the answer, but it is not a primer on evolutionary theory or any specific topic. Aside from reading for entertainment, the story of Bombo can be a companion to a full lesson plan on evolution, or a way to facilitate discussion between adults and children on the topic. Also provided are supplemental materials for anyone that wants dig into more information about the beetles and other animals introduced in the story. There is a guide to pronunciation of the scientific names and hopefully, answers for some of the many questions curious readers will have.
Get the ebook and print on demand versions from these links or sites
Free PDF is available here– Bombo-ebook-low res (smaller file) or Bombo-ebook-high res (big file)
Free eBook file here– Bombo epub (big file)
Get a print copy and/or Kindle version here– Amazon print copy or Kindle format
Why the print and Kindle versions are not free.
Distributors may charge a distribution fee and all costs of printing and shipping must be paid by the purchaser. In most cases the book itself is “free,” i.e., cost are for production and distribution only, no royalties are paid to the author and illustrator. Because the book was published and distributed via CreateSpace and on Amazon, some distributors do not allow royalty-free books (see image of rules below). If there are any purchases made with those vendors then all royalties will be donated to the NCSE.
To be transparent, here are the royalty rules at CreateSpace (above) and the minimum prices allowed (below)
Some great resources for teaching evolution can be found at the following sites:
Understanding Evolution: https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/home.php
PBS KQED http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/
PBS NOVA http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/
Talk Origin http://www.talkorigins.org/
National Center for Science Education https://ncse.com/node/16774
*
The C-Q research team is headed up by the following PIs (click name to see web sites and lab members): Wendy Moore, Tanya Renner, Athula Attygalle, and Kip Will
This project is supported by funding from the US National Science Foundation: DEB1556957 DEB1556813, DEB1556931, DEB1556898
