  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 05/01/2017 Making good use of his trademark paper-collage style, Jenkins focuses his attention on one specific facet of the animal kingdom: apex predators, of both the modern world and the prehistoric. Jenkins investigates inhabitants of the modern world who have no predators of their own (great white sharks, African wild dogs, electric eels), and top killers that are now extinct (terror bird, daeodon, sea scorpion). This latter section is arranged chronologically, from the most recent (giant short-faced bear, extinct 11,000 years ago) to the most ancient (Anomalocaris, 500 million years ago). Each page contains the animal, some details on the features that made it a top predator, and a size chart comparing it to an average human (or, in the case of the tiny Trigonotarbid, a human hand). Ending spreads compare modern land and sea predators with their prehistoric counterparts. It’s a clear and simple addition to Jenkins’ books of animal infographics, and browsers interested in the fiercest of the animal world will snap it quickly up. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. School Library Journal - 06/01/2017 Gr 1–4—By definition, apex predators are the biggest and the "baddest," the rulers of their ecosystem. Jenkins provides a thrilling overview of these top hunters, from prehistory to the present day, in this illustrated collection that concludes with an "Apex Predator Face-Off." The parade begins with currently existing animals and continues backward, in huge leaps through land, sea, and air, from 11,000 years ago to more than 500 million. Extinct players include the T. rex, which could bite off 500 pounds of flesh at once, and the tylosaurus, a 50-foot marine reptile that ate whatever dared to venture into its waters, including other dinosaurs. Jenkins covers contemporary creatures, such as the agile fossa of Madagascar, the giant freshwater ray of Southeast Asia, and the great white shark. His signature illustrations deftly portray the power and movement of the animals featured. Scale drawings that compare each subject to a human only further the terror. The final spread matches up extinct and still-living challengers—the extinct beast wins every time. However, Jenkins has one last trick up his sleeve: the deadliest predator ever is indeed just regular old humans. VERDICT Jenkins has done it again—all nonfiction collections will want this title.—Dorcas Hand, formerly at Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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