Where Are You Really From

Where Are You Really From? is a science and history book tackling important and tough topics with sensible, down to earth explanations and well researched scientific facts. Adam Rutherford and E.L. Norry show how to answer the ‘where are you from?’ question by going back 4 billion years to the beginning of life on Earth. The result is a clear, readable and engaging explanation of the history of people that deals with evolution, DNA, taxonomy, scientific racism, anthropology, race and much, much more.

The cartoon/magazine format (skilfully illustrated by Adam Ming) and the sheer vastness of the subject matter could have resulted in something that was surface and flippant but actually, this book provides a comprehensive and straightforward introduction to incredibly complex questions. The design and the writing work in harmony to make it engaging and accessible.  It doesn’t shy away from answering difficult questions or from confronting racist assumptions or the impact of colonialism and empire – and it does it in a clear and intelligent way that is straightforward and not patronising.

It’s a book that deals with pertinent issues for children today and answers their questions in a straightforward and non-judgemental way. Some of the examples are necessarily very current and one does wonder how they will date. But as Rutherford and Norry point out, there are new discoveries in science all the time so perhaps second and third editions will update the modern culture references as well as the future scientific references.

Middle grade readers will be drawn to the book by the colour and the format and will stay for the writing and the subject matter. A book like this has a place in every classroom and library to provide a springboard for future scientists and historians to ask further and deeper questions about these important and complex issues.