The Dawn of Planet Earth

November 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-Starting with the first appearance of life on Earth, this series covers a large span of prehistoric history, highlighting one or two animals with well-chosen facts and useful, eye-catching illustrations. An anthropomorphized animal from the Devonian era introduces the species and appears in each scene as an observer or participant. The writing is conversational but also clear, with informative details that capture readers' attention. Illustrations include action scenes and straightforward species drawings; both support key points of the text effectively. Spreads include three or four text boxes, along with a time line and fact box. Careful, varied layouts avoid overcrowding for the most part, although the haphazard placement of the guide's introductory word balloon is potentially confusing. Information about evolution concerns more the "what" and "when" than "how," which is an appropriate treatment for this level. VERDICT High-quality individual titles stand alone, and the whole set provides a strong introduction to prehistoric life.

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2015
A chatty lungfish leads a quick tour of life's evolution, from Earth's formation to the appearance of early mammals in the Triassic Period. "Hi. My name is Ackerley. I'm an Acanthostega." Following introductions and quick peeks at fossilization and continental drift, the colorfully mottled narrator highlights or at least mentions around a dozen extinct creatures. These range from millipedes "the size of crocodiles" and Opabinia-"If there were a prize for The Weirdest Creature That Ever Lived, Opabinia would be a hot favorite"- to the shrewlike Megazostrodon. Though rendered in close, sharp relief, usually with mouths threateningly open (at least for those animals with visible mouths), Minister's page-filling, digitally modeled figures often sport a shiny, plastic look. The artificiality extends to an obtrusive absence of blood and gore despite attacks and toothy chomping aplenty here and also in the co-published Dinosaurs Rule. Moreover, both volumes share substantial passages of boilerplate and mention animals that have no corresponding portraits. The closing recaps and indexes are likewise incomplete. Chewy fare for fans of polysyllabic monikers but not a top-shelf prospect in the struggle to survive. (Nonfiction. 7-9)

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