Beetle Battles: One Scientist’s Journey of Adventure and Discovery

Gr 6-8–Emlen, the author of the award-winning book Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle, has adapted the same topic for a children’s audience. He initially shares his search for an evolutionary reason for animal weaponry (horns, claws, and tusks) while researching dung beetles in Panama. His daily research routines are interesting; it’s fun to vicariously experience his discoveries. The middle of the book derails a bit as Emlen searches for his next discovery. That discovery, the correlation between animal weaponry and military weaponry, brings new excitement to the narrative. The final chapter correlates the evolutionary demise of weapons in nature to the evolutionary demise of military weapons when new technologies emerge, currently reflected in military cyberhacking. The narrative flows well. Color photos highlight the text and provide a visual reference for the animals and the environments encountered while reading.