FICTION

Living Fossils: Clues to the Past

by Caroline ARNOLD
illus. by Andrew Plant. 32p. chron. ebook available. glossary. Charlesbridge. Feb. 2016. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781580896917.
COPY ISBN
Gr 3–6—A glimpse into the world of living fossils, or modern-day plants or animals that are very similar to now-extinct species. Realistic acrylic paintings of the different creatures and their fossilized counterparts accompany brief text describing the creatures and comparing them to their modern versions. Sidebars point to specific survival adaptations that have allowed the horseshoe crab and dragonfly to survive from their initial evolution to today, for examples. An overview time line, which covers 3.5 billion years, will help readers see the sequence of development. The volume ends with a spread that offers further details about the six species covered.
VERDICT A strong addition to all libraries and one that dinosaur fanatics will love.
Reviewed by Dorcas Hand, Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX
Perfect for mid-elementary paleontology enthusiasts, this book opens a window to the prehistoric past. Examining six "living fossils" ("an informal term for a modern-day plant or animal that resembles its ancient relatives"), Arnold clearly describes each ancestor and how its relative survives today; lifelike acrylic paintings differentiate the "then" and "now" of back-to-back spreads. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos.
 , Feb 01, 2016

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