(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Xing Lida & Liu Yi. Sloan brings us the latest science on tyrannosauroid species, reflecting knowledge gained from recent fossil finds in Asia and North America. He explains these updates, which include reclassifications of the order and clues to their geographic origins, then profiles several of the newer species in field-guide style. The accessible text is accompanied by colorful yet scientifically grounded artistic renditions of the animals in action.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Engaging text supported by maps, diagrams, photographs, and illustrations captures the excitement and significance of the 2007 discovery of a fully preserved baby woolly mammoth. Firsthand accounts, scientific details, and even mythology blend well, effectively demonstrating the collaborative efforts that yielded new insight into the Ice Age in general and the creature itself, along with predictions for its present-day descendants. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) 4-6 From kings and queens to the average man, woman, and child, mummies provide insight into past peoples, allowing archaeologists and anthropologists working collaboratively to interpret buried clues. Startlingly up-close photographs of mummies, sure to draw readers in, combine with a thought-provoking text to introduce eleven figures, the earliest from 5050 BCE. Sidebars provide facts that allow for comparison. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Alfons Kennis & Adrie Kennis. Photographs by Kenneth Garrett. Sloan explains genetic evidence for evolution, early hominid development, theories on how some early humans migrated out of Africa, and the evolution of modern humans. Although the lavish illustrations, including photos, reconstructions, paintings, charts, and diagrams, occasionally interrupt the narrative flow, which itself varies in complexity, they add significantly to the content. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) 4-6 Premised on the notion that the more we know about the way a culture buried its dead, the more we know about that culture, this remarkable book's text is equal parts science (sidebars include "How to Make a Mummy") and anthropological insights into diverse burial practices from ancient times through the present day. The large-scale color reproductions supporting the text are coffee-table-book quality. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated with color photographs of modern crocodiles and artwork of prehistoric ones, this concisely written volume introduces the nearly forty-foot-long prehistoric crocodile, Sarcosuchus imperator. Sloan discusses where and how its fossils were uncovered and identifies other prehistoric crocodiles. The final chapter explains that crocs are now endangered by human encroachment. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 A succinct text examines the link between flying dinosaurs of the prehistoric era and modern-day birds. Recent archaeological discoveries involving dinosaur skeletal features, behavior patterns, and fossils that contain evidence of feathers are presented in simple prose, accompanied by color illustrations, anatomical charts, and photographs of models. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta