From Library Journal
Grade 4-6-Although this book provides a nice gallery of extinct animals, from trilobites to passenger pigeons, it is also useful as an overview of evolutionary life on Earth. Lessem's expertise is on prehistoric creatures, and the realms of dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals are amply represented here, as are less-familiar creatures, such as the ones fossilized in the Burgess Shale, which make Dr. Seuss's menageries look tame. Take for instance Hallucigenia, a creature with so many tentacles and legs that scientists couldn't figure out which end was up. Flying critters, fish, and insects are also included and tidbits of details (for example, pictures showing the land mammals that gradually evolved into whales) make this book good for browsing as well as for homework. The full-color illustrations are lively and realistic, as far as what is known about these life-forms. Students may need to rely on other sources if they are doing research on a particular creature (there's only one page on the passenger pigeon), but this title will certainly whet their appetites.
Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Booklist
The impressive talents of archeologist Lessum and illustrator Jan Sovak combine in this informative, visually stirring overview. Moving chronologically through 12 time periods, the book traces major historic phenomena that resulted in the extinction of various species. Each chapter comprises a few clearly written articles describing the time period, concentrating mostly on how geological changes on Earth developed new species and destroyed others. Useful sidebars and dazzling illustrations add dimension to the text, and a gallery of extinct creatures from the period appears at the end of each short chapter. Accompanying the clear and colorful graphics are captions noting pronunciation, life span, and other information, as well as a one-sentence description of some unique quality about the animal or explanation for its extinction. In barely more than 100 pages, the book offers much for researching or browsing. Roger Leslie
