Mega-Predators of the Past

by Melissa Stewart, Howard Gray (Illustrator)

Overview

Award-winning nonfiction author and science specialist Melissa Stewart offers young readers a mega-exploration of little-known prehistoric predators that rival even the mightiest of dinosaurs!

It is time for T. rex and his dinosaur cousins to step aside and let other mega-predators like the terror bird and the giant ripper lizard take the spotlight! Travel back to prehistoric times and meet some of the most impressive creatures to ever roam the Earth.

You'll be amazed at the size and the fierceness of these lesser-known predators, many of them ancient ancestors of animals that we still see today.

Stewart's cheeky, humorous voice—along with a comical version of the familiar "comparison man"—put these creatures in perspective. Artist and former zoologist Howard Gray brings these predators (back) to life with dynamic, humorous, and scientifically accurate illustrations.

Sidebars and extensive back matter material provide more detailed information and context.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682638057
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	06/10/2025
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.62(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Melissa Stewart has written more than 180 science books for children. Her books have won numerous honors, including CCBC Choices, Bank Street Best Children's Books, NSTA Recommends, Green Earth Book, and Parents' Choice Recommended awards. She offers live and virtual school visits as well as programs for educators.

Growing up, Howard Gray was captivated by animals and nature, a fascination probably fueled by living in some interesting parts of the world as work took his parents from place to place. He holds a BSc in zoology and a PhD in Arabian bottlenose dolphin genetics. Howard has returned to his dream career: children's book illustration. He lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

"The handsome, lifelike illustrations are chock full of action and expression. . . ."—Booklist

"An ideal book on an evergreen topic, this is fun, casual reading for those looking to expand their knowledge of prehistoric creatures."—School Library Journal

"A creature feature presented, and likely to be devoured, with relish."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

10/28/2022

Gr 2–5—Stewart's book challenges readers to think beyond the dinosaurs when considering the topic of prehistoric mega-predators from land, sea, and air. In an enthusiastic and sometimes teasing tone, she speaks directly to readers, using action and alliteration to give this the pace of a sports highlight reel! Each predator is given a two-page spread, complete with a "Mega-Fact File" (scientific name, size, weight, when and where it was discovered and how long ago it lived) and a box comparing the size of the predator to humans, as well as more modern creature readers may be familiar with. In a fun twist, the humans in the diagrams are often shown cowering or fleeing from the predator being compared. The author is fair and forthcoming when there are questions about how featured mega-predators behaved, using open-ended language rather than absolutes. Gray's illustrations are bright, realistic, and free of gore despite the sometimes vividly described hunting techniques. Author and illustrator notes give age-appropriate explanations on the research; the back matter also includes sources and suggestions for further reading. VERDICT An ideal book on an evergreen topic, this is fun, casual reading for those looking to expand their knowledge of prehistoric creatures.—Heather Webb

School Library Journal

2022-08-17
A rousing roundup of outsized meat eaters for readers who, like the author, find Tyrannosaurus rex and cousin dinos “overexposed and overrated.”

Looking like modern creatures, only much bigger, the extinct predators Stewart selects run from a 28-inch prehistoric scorpion to “railroad car”–sized protoshark Megalodon.A slavering “giant ripper lizard” (Varanus prisca) on the cover sets the tone, and as Gray goes on to depict beaked or toothy horrors chasing or snatching prey, the author makes up for the lack of explicit gore with commentary that suggestively goes for the gusto: “Dive! Swish! Chomp! Gulp! Meet the Sanders seabird—a prehistoric predator guaranteed to make fish fret and squid squirm.” Each sharply detailed portrait comes with a fact box and, entertainingly, a silhouette with a to-scale human figure flinching, cowering, or fleeing in terror. In a closing twist, the final entry, the “biggest predator of all time,” is the nonextinct blue whale (“makes T. rex look like a puny pipsqueak”); for added value, along with a source list and an audience-appropriate selection of further reading, the author and illustrator both end with helpful notes on their research methods. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A creature feature presented, and likely to be devoured, with relish. (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews