Overview
Long ago there lived big cats whose giant teeth make today’s cats look tame: sabertooth! Those teeth helped it compete with other predators for a meal of mammoth—or even a tasty human. Then, ten thousand years ago, every last sabertooth disappeared. With only ancient bones—and massive teeth—to guide them, scientists are learning amazing facts about these enormous prehistoric cats. Patrick O’Brien’s captivating illustrations, exciting facts, and kidfriendly, comics-inspired design will thrill young adventurers.
Synopsis
Long ago there lived big cats whose giant teeth make today’s cats look tame: sabertooth! Those teeth helped it compete with other predators for a meal of mammoth—or even a tasty human.
Then, ten thousand years ago, every last sabertooth disappeared. With only ancient bones—and massive teeth—to guide them, scientists are learning amazing facts about these enormous prehistoric cats.
Patrick O’Brien’s captivating illustrations, exciting facts, and kidfriendly, comics-inspired design will thrill young adventurers.
Children's Literature
O'Brien notes that there are many kinds of cats in the world today, then focuses on one that lived long ago. A sabertooth bares its teeth at us in a close-up on the cover, then leaps across a textless double page. The family tree shows the relationships between the cats of the past and those of today. The many kinds of sabertooth cats are depicted and described, as are related animals. Illustrations show the past animals, but O'Brien reminds us that we do not know what their fur really looked like. The sabertoothed cats competed with other predators for food in ancient Africa and America. O'Brien explains speculation about why some smiledons died out and mentions the dangers faced by similar creatures today. The watercolor and gouache illustrations are naturalistic but not scientifically rendered; rather, they show the animals mostly in action. The text is anecdotal and does not cover the topic in a timeline sequence. Many of the illustrations are presented in individual boxes, but the drama is always apparent. Reviewer: Ken and Sylvia Marantz
Editorials
From the Publisher
“Make room for this sure-to-be-popular work.”
—School Library Journal
Children's Literature -
O'Brien notes that there are many kinds of cats in the world today, then focuses on one that lived long ago. A sabertooth bares its teeth at us in a close-up on the cover, then leaps across a textless double page. The family tree shows the relationships between the cats of the past and those of today. The many kinds of sabertooth cats are depicted and described, as are related animals. Illustrations show the past animals, but O'Brien reminds us that we do not know what their fur really looked like. The sabertoothed cats competed with other predators for food in ancient Africa and America. O'Brien explains speculation about why some smiledons died out and mentions the dangers faced by similar creatures today. The watercolor and gouache illustrations are naturalistic but not scientifically rendered; rather, they show the animals mostly in action. The text is anecdotal and does not cover the topic in a timeline sequence. Many of the illustrations are presented in individual boxes, but the drama is always apparent. Reviewer: Ken and Sylvia MarantzSchool Library Journal
Gr 3-5- A look at saber-toothed cats, with an emphasis on Smilodon , which perished in the thousands in the La Brea Tar Pits, leaving their blackened bones to be discovered 10,000 years later. O'Brien traces the feline family back to early Proailurus (30 to 20 million years ago), mentions a number of species, and includes some non-feline predators with saberlike canines. Realistic watercolor and gouache illustrations lend eye-catching glamour to the captionlike text, showing Smilodon 's skeletal makeup and making life-size comparisons of teeth from a sabertooth, a modern tiger, and a modern human. Other contemporary predators are illustrated as well, along with a picture gallery of possible prey. While some recent research seems to indicate a measure of dental "fragility" limiting bite pressure, O'Brien opts for the cat's "huge teeth" as "perfect for biting through the thick, hairy hide of big beasts, such as mammoths and buffalo." Even if you already own Barbara Hehner's dramatic Ice Age Sabertooth: The Most Ferocious Cat That Ever Lived (Crown, 2002), you might want to make room for this sure-to-be-popular work.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY