The Last Synapsid

June 1, 2009
Gr 5-8-In the tiny mountain town of Faith, CO, nothing much happens. When pets start disappearing, Rob and Phoebe look for clues on a nearby trail and soon find themselves face to face with a synapsid. This Permian Era creature, whom they call Sid, tells them that he's found holes in time and can travel through them. But he is not alone: another synapsid, a Gorgonopsid, can do the same and is refusing to return to their own era, which would mean that the human race would never exist as he is the crucial link in the mammalian evolutionary chain. His fate and that of Faith are inextricably linked, and the kids travel through time to set things right while also dealing with a ruthless human villain who is using the Gorgon for his own ends. This is an exciting story, but with several plot holes. How the synapsids travel through time is only vaguely explained and seems almost magical, and the scientific aspectsparticularly details about the creaturesare murky. Occasional instances of awkward phrasing are jarring, and the meandering story line is occasionally distracting. However, the relationships between the characters, especially Phoebe and Rob, ring true. The villain is greedy and evil, with enough menace to make his downfall appropriate. Sid's character is too good to be true, yet readers will root for him anyway. While not a must-purchase, this book is appropriate for larger collections."Necia Blundy, Marlborough Public Library, MA"

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