Giant Ripper Lizard

Children's Literature

The giant ripper lizard that lived in Australia a million years ago was not anything like the small lizards that inhabit our planet today. This giant weighed over 1300 pounds and was the size of a pick up truck of today. The giant lizard was a meat eater and could spot his prey, even animals that were larger than him, from a mile away. To capture its prey, the lizard would use its powerful claws and sharp teeth. The lizard had a superb sense of smell and could also smell dead animals from miles away. Scientists believe that the giant ripper lizard became extinct because of the invasion of humans. Like many other animals, the lizard died because humans hunted the animals that the lizard needed for food. Although many bones of the giant ripper lizard have been found in Australia, 40,000 years after the animal was considered extinct, a complete skeleton has never been found. The series “Extinct Monsters” presents six of these giant animals that lived long ago. Through the supplemental pages that offer Internet sites, books to be read, and explanations of unfamiliar words, the reader will increase vocabulary while learning about this giant. There is also an index and “Monster Facts,” brief facts presented on several pages to increase the reader’s knowledge. This is an excellent addition to Social Studies curriculums for grades 1-3 and higher where reluctant readers are addressed. Reviewer: Joyce Rice