Prehistoric Ancestors of Modern Animals

Gr 4–7—Combining a clever use of digital photography with well-researched material, this thoroughly engaging series reimagines prehistoric creatures inhabiting our contemporary world. Whether it's a paraceratherium strolling down a modern New York City avenue (Giants) or a giant sea scorpion enclosing an unfortunate scuba diver in its monstrous pincers (Sea Beasts), illustrator Mendez's artistic renderings are scarily authentic, and when superimposed within the scenes of daily life, the effect is simultaneously jarring and thrilling. Rake's meticulous fact-finding makes great use of sidebars to share standard information about each beast, such as name pronunciation, measurements, when and where it lived, and human-to-creature size comparisons, while introducing more specific, descriptive details in each entry's narrative. Finer points such as these as well as handy time lines and the inclusion of paleontology career options combine to make this easy-to-read but hard-to-put-down series one of a kind.