Wonders of Geology

Gr 6 to Adult-Breathtaking visuals, a concise text, and a narrated tour of some of the most spectacular natural sites in the United States make the Wonders of Geology a production to behold. The app is adapted from Michael Collier's Over the Mountains (2007), one of a series of books he has published with Mikaya Press. Collier, a noted author, geologist, and photographer, took his first aerial photo in 1975, four years later earned his pilot's license, and now owns his own Cessna 180. In his introduction to the app, the author notes "Aerial photography is the pursuit of perfect light" and it's clear that in this title that he has captured it many times over.Collier narrates his illustrated tour of geological formations, taking viewers from Hawaii and New Hampshire to Alaska and Virginia. The first section of Wonders covers rocks ("the building blocks of geology"), plate tectonics, and erosion. Chapters on "Mountains of America," and "Mountains Past and Future" follow introducing viewers to a wide range of geological provinces. Each section opens with a page or two of text followed by photos, animated diagrams (of an erupting volcano, colliding continents, etc.), and maps that illuminate explanations and definitions.When Collier speaks about the various aspects of formations, lines or arrows appear on the images to help viewers identify them, or the author might suggest viewers zoom in on a specific area of the glacier or mountain ridge that he is discussing. He quotes John Muir and other naturalists who appreciated these "peaks and pinnacles, ridges and ramparts...this parade of geologic history."The app is beautifully designed. A discreet tag indicates the location of each site and a menu can be accessed by tapping on the bottom of the screen. Pages flawlessly slide backward or forward.While viewers can just sit back and enjoy the images and narration, this engaging presentation goes beyond the basics and will be a perfect resource for secondary (and older) students of earth science and geology.—Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal (12/14/11)