Kids hear a lot of nonsense about evolution from religious groups dedicated to spreading misinformation. In some places, that misinformation comes straight from teachers, in private schools, and even in a few public schools.
Parents don’t have to wait for decent science teachers to set them straight with the correct facts. There are materials available to parents who wish to educate their children about evolution on their own.
The following books make a good set, speaking to children at different levels of detail:
Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution by Steve Jenkins is a great start, with a picture book format and beautiful color illustrations of various forms of life on Earth, from its microscopic start to its present diversity.
The Evolution Book: The Story of 4,000 Million Years of Life on Earth provides an appropriate second approach to the topic. It’s written by Sara Stein, the author of the organic gardening classic Noah’s Garden.
Finish up, in good time, with Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth, written by Jay Hosler and illustrated by Zander Cannon. This source takes the comic book (should I say graphic novel, or graphic non-fiction?) approach to understanding the evolution of species by natural selection.
Get them now, and they’ll arrive in time for Darwin Day.
