{"id":10241775306,"title":"Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur","handle":"ancient-animals-plesiosaur","description":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/sarah-l-thomson\"\u003eSarah L. Thomson\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/andrew-plant\"\u003eAndrew Plant\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDiscover this ancient predator\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNinety million years ago, giant dinosaurs roamed the earth, pterosaurs flew through the air, and giant reptiles and fish hunted in the oceans. The area that is now Kansas was covered by water and one of its inhabi-tants was the plesiosaur—a reptile with an extremely long neck and a huge body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis early reader about the ancient plesiosaur brings the prehistoric world of this ocean-dwelling animal to life, explain-ing how scientists think these reptiles lived, hunted, and became extinct. Back matter explores other reptiles both ancient and modern and provides additional print, visual, and web resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/ancient-animals-saber-toothed-cat\"\u003eAncient Animals: Saber-toothed Cat\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/ancient-animals-terror-bird\"\u003eAncient Animals: Terror Bird\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-spread.jpg?14329759878542801989\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSarah L. Thomson, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSarah is a former children's book editor who is now a full-time children's book writer. She has written more than thirty books across many genres, including \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Terror Bird\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Saber-Toothed Cat\u003c\/em\u003e. She lives in Portland, Maine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/sarah-l-thomson\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Sarah\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndrew Plant, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndrew is a trained zoologist with a strong interest in paleontology. He has illustrated more than one hundred books for children, including\u003cem\u003e Living Fossils: Clues to the Past\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eA Platypus, Probably\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Terror Bird\u003c\/em\u003e; and \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Saber-Toothed Cat\u003c\/em\u003e. Andrew lives in Melbourne, Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/andrew-plant\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Andrew\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA gallery of prehistoric marine reptiles, their prey, and their predators. Aiming for newly independent readers, Thomson describes in short sentences and simple language how plesiosaurs -- an oder tha included boht long- and short-necked varieties -- hunted, got about with their flippers (\"Maybe it paddled like a duck. Maybe it glided like a sea turtle\"), gave birth to live young, and succumbed at last to an extinction event 65 millions years ago. She provides broader context with comments about general features common to land and marine reptile of both the past and the present. Details both tantalize (the \"smoth stones\" in a plesiosaur's stomach \"may have helped to crush food\") and enlighten through concret example: \"Some plesiosaurs were only a bit longer than a broomstick. Some could've stretched halfway across a basketball court.\" Throughout, Thomson carefully makes sure to emphasize that thre is much we still do not know. Plant juices up the presentation with dramatic (labeled) portraits of thrillingly toothy predators leaving trails of blood in the water as they eat and are eaten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTempting fare for young dino-devotees. (print, video, and web resources lists).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomson brings a third book in the series to life with an entry on the plesiosaur. Although not much is known for certain about these sea creatures, the author makes educated guesses about their everyday life. Plant’s dramatic and compelling illustrations add to the appeal for younger paleontology buffs. There is a balance of gentle scenes (a parent Nichollssaura swimming with its baby) and action-packed ones (a Dolichorhynchops trying to escape the jaws of a Tylosaurus). ­Labels with the scientific names of each creature are also included. VERDICT A title worth purchasing to round out a prehistoric animal collection, but not as a main resource.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur book cover\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cvr.jpg?14329759878542801989\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-hires.zip?2423795409410640420\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-542-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-864-1 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-865-8 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 6-9\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e6 x 8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 1. Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 2. Standards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2024-04-15T10:07:24-04:00","created_at":"2017-03-03T10:50:39-05:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Animals \u0026 Dinosaurs","Browse by Subject_Science \u0026 Nature"],"price":650,"price_min":650,"price_max":650,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":1299,"compare_at_price_min":1299,"compare_at_price_max":1299,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":38801386122,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"95422","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":12913643290703,"product_id":10241775306,"position":1,"created_at":"2019-10-04T12:53:07-04:00","updated_at":"2019-10-04T12:53:32-04:00","alt":"Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur book cover image","width":600,"height":825,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cover.jpg?v=1570208012","variant_ids":[38801386122]},"available":true,"name":"Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":650,"weight":567,"compare_at_price":1299,"inventory_quantity":100,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-58089-542-2","featured_media":{"alt":"Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur book cover image","id":2448373678159,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.727,"height":825,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cover.jpg?v=1570208012"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cover.jpg?v=1570208012"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cover.jpg?v=1570208012","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur book cover image","id":2448373678159,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.727,"height":825,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cover.jpg?v=1570208012"},"aspect_ratio":0.727,"height":825,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cover.jpg?v=1570208012","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/sarah-l-thomson\"\u003eSarah L. Thomson\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/andrew-plant\"\u003eAndrew Plant\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDiscover this ancient predator\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNinety million years ago, giant dinosaurs roamed the earth, pterosaurs flew through the air, and giant reptiles and fish hunted in the oceans. The area that is now Kansas was covered by water and one of its inhabi-tants was the plesiosaur—a reptile with an extremely long neck and a huge body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis early reader about the ancient plesiosaur brings the prehistoric world of this ocean-dwelling animal to life, explain-ing how scientists think these reptiles lived, hunted, and became extinct. Back matter explores other reptiles both ancient and modern and provides additional print, visual, and web resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/ancient-animals-saber-toothed-cat\"\u003eAncient Animals: Saber-toothed Cat\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/ancient-animals-terror-bird\"\u003eAncient Animals: Terror Bird\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-spread.jpg?14329759878542801989\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSarah L. Thomson, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSarah is a former children's book editor who is now a full-time children's book writer. She has written more than thirty books across many genres, including \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Terror Bird\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Saber-Toothed Cat\u003c\/em\u003e. She lives in Portland, Maine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/sarah-l-thomson\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Sarah\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndrew Plant, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndrew is a trained zoologist with a strong interest in paleontology. He has illustrated more than one hundred books for children, including\u003cem\u003e Living Fossils: Clues to the Past\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eA Platypus, Probably\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Terror Bird\u003c\/em\u003e; and \u003cem\u003eAncient Animals: Saber-Toothed Cat\u003c\/em\u003e. Andrew lives in Melbourne, Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/andrew-plant\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Andrew\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA gallery of prehistoric marine reptiles, their prey, and their predators. Aiming for newly independent readers, Thomson describes in short sentences and simple language how plesiosaurs -- an oder tha included boht long- and short-necked varieties -- hunted, got about with their flippers (\"Maybe it paddled like a duck. Maybe it glided like a sea turtle\"), gave birth to live young, and succumbed at last to an extinction event 65 millions years ago. She provides broader context with comments about general features common to land and marine reptile of both the past and the present. Details both tantalize (the \"smoth stones\" in a plesiosaur's stomach \"may have helped to crush food\") and enlighten through concret example: \"Some plesiosaurs were only a bit longer than a broomstick. Some could've stretched halfway across a basketball court.\" Throughout, Thomson carefully makes sure to emphasize that thre is much we still do not know. Plant juices up the presentation with dramatic (labeled) portraits of thrillingly toothy predators leaving trails of blood in the water as they eat and are eaten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTempting fare for young dino-devotees. (print, video, and web resources lists).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomson brings a third book in the series to life with an entry on the plesiosaur. Although not much is known for certain about these sea creatures, the author makes educated guesses about their everyday life. Plant’s dramatic and compelling illustrations add to the appeal for younger paleontology buffs. There is a balance of gentle scenes (a parent Nichollssaura swimming with its baby) and action-packed ones (a Dolichorhynchops trying to escape the jaws of a Tylosaurus). ­Labels with the scientific names of each creature are also included. VERDICT A title worth purchasing to round out a prehistoric animal collection, but not as a main resource.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur book cover\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-cvr.jpg?14329759878542801989\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/ancient-animals-plesiosaur-hires.zip?2423795409410640420\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-542-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-864-1 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-865-8 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 6-9\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e6 x 8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 1. Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 2. Standards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

Ancient Animals: Plesiosaur

By: Sarah L. Thomson / Illustrated by: Andrew Plant

Discover this ancient predator

Ninety million years ago, giant dinosaurs roamed the earth, pterosaurs flew through the air, and giant reptiles and fish hunted in the oceans. The area that is now Kansas was covered by water and one of its inhabi-tants was the plesiosaur—a reptile with an extremely long neck and a huge body.

This early reader about the ancient plesiosaur brings the prehistoric world of this ocean-dwelling animal to life, explain-ing how scientists think these reptiles lived, hunted, and became extinct. Back matter explores other reptiles both ancient and modern and provides additional print, visual, and web resources.

$ 12.99
Maximum quantity available reached.

Sarah L. Thomson, author

Sarah is a former children's book editor who is now a full-time children's book writer. She has written more than thirty books across many genres, including Ancient Animals: Terror Bird and Ancient Animals: Saber-Toothed Cat. She lives in Portland, Maine

Read more about Sarah


Andrew Plant, illustrator

Andrew is a trained zoologist with a strong interest in paleontology. He has illustrated more than one hundred books for children, including Living Fossils: Clues to the Past; A Platypus, Probably; Ancient Animals: Terror Bird; and Ancient Animals: Saber-Toothed Cat. Andrew lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Read more about Andrew

  • Coming soon!

Kirkus Reviews

A gallery of prehistoric marine reptiles, their prey, and their predators. Aiming for newly independent readers, Thomson describes in short sentences and simple language how plesiosaurs -- an oder tha included boht long- and short-necked varieties -- hunted, got about with their flippers ("Maybe it paddled like a duck. Maybe it glided like a sea turtle"), gave birth to live young, and succumbed at last to an extinction event 65 millions years ago. She provides broader context with comments about general features common to land and marine reptile of both the past and the present. Details both tantalize (the "smoth stones" in a plesiosaur's stomach "may have helped to crush food") and enlighten through concret example: "Some plesiosaurs were only a bit longer than a broomstick. Some could've stretched halfway across a basketball court." Throughout, Thomson carefully makes sure to emphasize that thre is much we still do not know. Plant juices up the presentation with dramatic (labeled) portraits of thrillingly toothy predators leaving trails of blood in the water as they eat and are eaten.

Tempting fare for young dino-devotees. (print, video, and web resources lists).

School Library Journal

Thomson brings a third book in the series to life with an entry on the plesiosaur. Although not much is known for certain about these sea creatures, the author makes educated guesses about their everyday life. Plant’s dramatic and compelling illustrations add to the appeal for younger paleontology buffs. There is a balance of gentle scenes (a parent Nichollssaura swimming with its baby) and action-packed ones (a Dolichorhynchops trying to escape the jaws of a Tylosaurus). ­Labels with the scientific names of each creature are also included. VERDICT A title worth purchasing to round out a prehistoric animal collection, but not as a main resource.

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-542-2

E-book
ISBN: 978-1-60734-864-1 EPUB
ISBN: 978-1-60734-865-8 PDF

Ages: 6-9
Page count: 32
6 x 81/4

Correlated to Common Core State Standards:
English Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 1. Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
English Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 2. Standards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10