Atlas of Prehistoric Animals

Gr 4-8–In the third book of this series (Atlas of Extinct Animals, Atlas of Endangered Animals), Maly turns to prehistoric creatures. The text was reviewed by an expert, giving it the stamp of scientific authenticity. Animals are organized according to their respective geological era, from oldest to most recent, with each allotted a spread. Modlitba’s bold and dynamic illustrations occupy the full left side of spreads. The creators note the illustrations owe a debt to Czech paleoartist Zdenek Burian. On the right, informative text appears about each creature, including its weight, length or wingspan, and overall size in relation to a modern human (or in the case of smaller dinosaurs and arthropods, a human hand). Most animals larger than a human hand were significantly larger—including prehistoric fish, plesiosaurs, cephalopods, and of course, dinosaurs. The immense size of many of these creatures is thought to be due to higher oxygen levels 300 million years ago. The amount of text, while not overwhelming, is packed full of information. The eye-catching design and sophisticated illustrations would appeal to older elementary students and middle schoolers.