Entertaining, colorful, and deceptively full of facts, This Phenomenal Life tells the story of the wondrous ways that humans are always completely at one with our surrounding world. From the vast galaxies above to the miniature microbes within, humans are organically connected to the complex cycles and mysterious processes of our universe. Every single atom of our body is made of remnants of stars and massive explosions in the galaxies, and we share the same biochemical basis of life with all living beings on earth, from a single-celled amoeba to a giant blue whale. Whimsically hip illustrations elucidate wild science-based facts, from the unexpected intimacy we have with fungi on a daily basis, to the similar ways that humans and birds learn to communicate. Powerful evidence of our interconnection with nature combined with beautiful artwork will inspire the reader to look at the world in a whole new way.
Industry Reviews
In these exuberant, surprising, joyous, gorgeous pages, artist and writer Misha Maynerick Blaise celebrates THIS PHENOMENAL LIFE with facts that will amaze and artwork that will delight. What a great way to reawaken our connections with the universe! -- Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of the Octopus, finalist for the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction
"This book lies in the ever-disappearing intersection between beauty and truth. Every single person I know would love it to pieces." -Ella Frances Sanders, author of the New York Times bestseller Lost in Translation
I have a new favorite book in the universe and it's called This Phenomenal Life. It explodes with the wonders of creation and the beauty of being alive. -- Rainn Wilson, actor, author
'Blaise's characters are almost all adults, but older children as well as grown-ups may enjoy this lovely graphic book, which offers a sweet-spirited reminder that all human beings are more alike than different, and that the entire cosmos is interconnected in ways we're only beginning to comprehend.' **Starred review**
* Publishers Weekly *
Blaise (My Wondrous Cloud Odyssey) provides illustrations for a trove of scientific facts to demonstrate how closely humans are intertwined with the natural world. Playing with both meanings of the word 'phenomenal,' Blaise depicts dark skies dotted with stars, swirling currents, riotous flowers, and creatures from microorganisms to elephants-a vibrant visual world shared with ethnically and culturally diverse humans. Gentle whimsy prevails: a bewigged avian playing a harp illustrates an aspect of birdsong that's similar to human music, while two people shyly sitting far apart are yet connected by their 'microbial clouds.' Addressing such wide-ranging topics as the Big Bang, plant neurotransmitters, insect husbandry, hidden water footprints, and 'mitochondrial Eve,' Blaise encourages a sense of wonder at the phenomenal world. 'Even in an office with no windows,' she writes, 'every breath we take contains trillions of air molecules that cycle through the world and connect us with life on Earth.' Blaise's characters are almost all adults, but older children as well as grown-ups may enjoy this lovely graphic book, which offers a sweet-spirited reminder that all human beings are more alike than different, and that the entire cosmos is interconnected in ways we're only beginning to comprehend. **starred review** * Publishers Weekly *
Children and adults alike will appreciate Blaise's vibrant illustrations paired with a bevy of scientific facts. Whether they be atoms or our enormous universe, these eye-catching depictions detail how closely connected we are with the natural world. * Green Living Magazine *
