At just ten years old, James KIncaid is an assistant to the naturalist Cherles Darwin on the HMS Beagle. The life of a ships boy turned explorer is never dull, as James discovers when he helps Darwin collect specimens on the South American continent. From treacherous seas to devastating earthquakes and erupting volcanoes, the Beagle sails on, searching bays, inlets, and island... James's diary …
When did the first life forms appear on earth? Why was the Roman Empire so successful? When was writing first invented?
How did the rhinoceros beetle get its name? Does a centipede really have 100 feet? Can bugs learn things?