Unstoppable Us, Vol. 1: How Humans Took Over the World

Yuval Noah Harari, the best-selling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, has adapted his adult non-fiction writing to create a four-volume series for young readers which details the fascinating story of humans from pre-history to present day. This first volume describes how homo sapiens came to dominate Earth by combining an ability to create and co-operate with a relentless and destructive voracity. The author takes young readers from pre-history when humans were ordinary animals through to the point at which homo sapiens, our ancestors, spread all over the planet, causing the Neanderthals and other kinds of humans to disappear and driving the planet’s giant mammals to extinction. Readers are told that the ‘superpower’ of sapiens was the ability to tell stories, which enabled them to co-operate and dominate.

Yuval Noah Harari’s text is engaging and accessible to readers of 8+, presenting facts and information in an easy to understand and scientifically accurate way whilst always acknowledging all that is still unknown. The information is divided into four main headings, ‘Humans as Animals’, ‘The Sapiens Superpower’, ‘How our Ancestors Lived’ and ‘Where did all the Animals Go?’.  Each heading is broken up into easily digestible short sections, all interspersed with Ricard Zaplana Ruiz’ vivid and appealing full-colour illustrations, maps, and timelines. The text is presented in a clear, readable font. The whole volume portrays the early history and development of homo sapiens in a clear, engaging, and entertaining style which will fascinate young readers and encourage them to look out for the future volumes which will explore the further development of humankind.