Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals

Gr 3–6—Consider this gorgeous book a gift to the children of your community from the National Museum of Natural History in France. Whether a youngster tackles it from cover to cover or randomly browses through the pages, this book will be read; the format alone demands it. Twenty-seven animals, divided by the region they once inhabited, are featured, among them dwarf elephants, giant ground sloths, and Haast's eagle (that sported a 10-foot wingspan and talons similar to tiger's claws). Each fascinating creature is given a full spread with a comic strip on the left, featuring a sometimes humorous and other times horrifying folktale, legend, or bit of history, and on the right a clear illustration of the animal, the common name, scientific name, a size chart with a comparison to a human, and a short explanation of its life and extinction. In the preface it is noted that "few books dare to touch on humanity's role in wildlife extinction," and this book is clearly one of those few. The authors do not pull any punches in this regard; instead they present the facts as they see them. Don't let that lead you to believe that this one is a downer, not by any means; readers will leave the book with an appreciation for the amazing variety of life on Earth and a desire to protect what we have left. Unfortunately, there is no index, and the table of contents is cumbersome as it's divided by continent, then chapter title, and then by the animal featured. Still, kids will love this book.—Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN