American Mastodon

by Kathryn Clay

Overview

The American mastodon thundered through the Ice Age. With its powerful tusks and large size, few predators challenged this prehistoric beast. Readers learn about this mighty plant eater from engaging text and bold illustrations reviewed by Smithsonian experts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496651457
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	05/01/2019
Series:	Little Paleontologist Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Kathryn Clay has written more than 40 nonfiction children’s books about everything from dancing to dinosaurs. She also teaches college writing courses. She has a Master’s of Arts in Literature from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Kathryn lives in southern Minnesota with her husband and daughter.

Table of Contents

Animal File 4

Ancient Elephants? 6

Mistaken For a Mammoth 8

Mighty Molars 10

Tough Tusks 12

Layers of Hair 14

Following the Footprints 16

Pleistocene Home 18

Stronger Together 20

A Saber-Toothed Supper 22

Early Hunters 24

First Fossil Discoveries 26

American Mastodons on Display 28

Glossary 30

Critical Thinking Questions 31

Read More 31

Internet Sites 31

Index 32

Interviews

extension of the popular series Little Paleontologist; text and images reviewed by Smithsonian experts; bold, full-color images; expert quotes; graphic organizers such as charts and maps; labeled diagram in each title; critical thinking questions

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2018
Gr 3–5—Profiles of prehistoric beasts provide fascinating information about these species and how we learned about them. Lucid text covers physical traits and behavior while smoothly integrating scientific history. For instance, a description of the size and purposes of mastodon tusks also reveals that scientists use them to measure the animal's age and that mastodons likely favored one tusk over the other. There's a good balance between general data and fun facts. However, causes of extinction are mentioned in only two of the four titles. The images are not especially dynamic or varied. Interactions with prey or predators are limited, and a spread about mastodon footprints offers no illustrated examples. More useful features include a time line, a scale drawing, and photos of skeletons on display. VERDICT Engaging writing makes this set worth considering, despite average visuals.

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