Prehistoric: Dinosaurs, Megalodons, and Other Fascinating Creatures of the Deep Past

Gr 2-6--Travelling back through time from the most recent prehistoric era to almost five billion years ago, this stunningly illustrated and detailed chronology describes the evolutionary development of life on Earth and the relationships between astronomical, climatological, and geological developments and the living creatures that have arisen and thrived in each era of prehistory. Each era is represented by at least one double-page spread (some have two or more), with full-color illustrations of a typical nature scene from that period, as well as detailed depictions of one type of animal common to that era, and a descriptive graphic that explains a geological or climatological condition that impacted the life forms during that era. For example, the Pleistocene period's pages contain an illustration of a giant ground sloth stripping leaves from trees while being watched by an enormous armored glyptodont, a close-up rendering of the skull and teeth of a sabre-toothed tiger, and an explanatory graphic on climate change. A glossary, an index, and a guide to the flora and fauna featured in the stunning illustrations complete the volume. VERDICT This extremely useful reference tool concerning prehistoric life on Earth is highly recommended for upper elementary and junior high library collections as well as science classrooms.--Kelly Kingrey-Edwards, Blinn Junior College, Brenham, TX

In this illustrated guide to prehistory, Zoehfeld travels backward in time, introducing readers to planet Earth's storied past across the prehistoric timeline. Csotonyi's images depict the lumbering and soaring dinosaurs of the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic periods and the mass extinctions (a dramatic spread showing the eruption of supervolcanoes represents the end-Permian extinction). The book also covers the sparse terrestrial animals of the Carboniferous and Devonian periods ("you wouldn't find a single animal with four legs") and the marine life of the Silurian and Ordovician periods, when "all the action was in the sea!" Zoehfeld highlights trilobites as an example of life that appeared during the "Cambrian Explosion," and "mysterious, soft-bodied animals" that appeared oceanside during the Ediacaran period 625 million years ago. Bright images and vivid descriptions provide a compelling resource for readers with an interest in prehistory. Ages 7-11. (Sept.)