National Geographic Readers

August 1, 2015
Grades 1-3 The weird and woolly world of prehistoric mammals takes center stage in this early reader. Beginning with early mammals that lived at the same time as dinosaurs, the slim volume goes on to discuss creatures that lived on land and in the sea, prehistoric-animal extremes, Ice Age mammals, and early humans. Though each section only touches briefly on each creature, the eye-catching layout keeps things engaging. Each page is festooned with graphics, from photos and artistic renderings of the gigantic creatures to sidebars, pronunciation keys, and jokes. The large-font text is straightforward and interesting, though occasionally it's a bit difficult to tell which animal the sentences refer to. Beginning readers interested in branching out from dinosaurs into other ancient animals will likely find this both informative and entertaining.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)