An A to Z of Geology - Review

An Introductory Publication From Sherkin Island Marine Station

Feb 27, 2009

This slim softback A4 booklet (24 pages) is packed with information about this most accessibe science, presented in a colourful and highly attractive format.

Geology shares with biology an immediacy that makes it much more attractive to young people than the relatively abstract physics and chemistry. It is thus an ideal subject through which to kindle an interest, perhaps even a love of science in these future adults.

Sherkin Island Marine Station

Sherkin Island Marine Station was founded in 1975 by Matt and Eileen Murphy, on a small island off the south-west coast of Ireland. Every year since then, and without state funding, the station has employed biologists on a series of scientific projects monitoring the wildlife around the shores and seas of West Cork. In addition, it hosts annual international conferences dealing with environmental concerns, and publishes books designed to inform and enthuse the general public about the beauties of Nature and the environment. Many of these publications are written for children, as part of an on-going schools programme.

An A to Z of Geology

Running through the alphabet from ‘Age of the Earth’ to ‘Zinc and other Minerals’, this beautifully illustrated book presents an ideal introduction to this fascinating subject for young people from the age of about eight years upwards. It includes such topics as caves, earthquakes, Ice Ages, oil, gas and coal, plate tectonics, maps, tsunamis and volcanoes. There are sections about precious stones and metals, fossils and that perennial favourite with children, the dinosaurs of the Jurassic Period.

Each topic is given a page, on which no space is wasted. The information is broken into boxes of text, each comprising between 50 and 250 words, and so can be easily assimilated in bite-sized chunks. Interspersed with the text are illustrations, which include coloured drawings, diagrams and cartoons as well as small though sharp and high quality photographs. Each page contains just about as much information as could possibly be packed into its space.

Geology of Ireland

The book was written with the support and input of the Geological Survey of Ireland, so its accuracy is guaranteed. One result of this is that many of the illustrations and examples of the various geological phenomena are set within an Irish context. This does not, however, detract from the book in any way, as many of the examples, such as the Burren of County Clare, the Cliffs of Moher and Antrim’s Giant’s Causeway are world famous and to be found in many standard geology textbooks.

Though this splendid booklet is designed for young people, its tone is not condescending, and adult readers would also learn a great deal about this vitally important science.

The copyright of the article An A to Z of Geology - Review in Children's Non-Fiction is owned by Anthony Toole. Permission to republish An A to Z of Geology - Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.