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(3)
4-6
Walters's novel centers on thirteen-year-old Samantha, who lives with her dad in an elephant sanctuary. There's plenty of solid information about elephants, and Samantha's rapport with the herd will endear her to animal-lovers. An intriguing twist involving a woolly mammoth cloned from permafrost-harvested DNA raises thought-provoking ethical, emotional, and legal issues; an author's note on the science of cloning insists this is "not science fiction."
(4)
K-3
Bumba Books: Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Beasts series.
Basic information about each animal's physical features, diet, and lifestyle is related in declarative sentences interspersed with critical thinking questions. The stock images occasionally border on cheesy but may appeal to dinosaur fans. The series' inclusion of both prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs could mislead young readers that these animals lived at the same time. Each volume includes an anatomical diagram. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Bumba Books: Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Beasts titles: Iguanodon, Pterodactyl, Saber-Toothed Cat, Triceratops, Velociraptor, and Woolly Mammoth.
(2)
K-3
Introspective woolly mammoth Samson waits for a new friend in his dandelion patch. After sharing his flowers with a little red bird, Samson falls asleep. When a snowstorm hits, worried Samson searches for the bird and encounters a mouse who's also looking for her. Lush mixed-media illustrations fill nearly every page with richly textured landscapes in a comforting tale packed with symbolism and beauty.
Reviewer: Patrick Gall
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2016
40 pp.
| Boyds
| September, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-1-62091-789-3$16.95
(3)
PS
Illustrated by
Lori Nichols.
In this second book featuring cave boy Orq and woolly mammoth Woma, the Paleolithic pals live in fear of bruiser Dorq and his (unclassifiable) pet, Caba. When the bullies push Orq to the breaking point, he smashes rocks together, discovering fire and becoming a hero. Caveman-style prose ("Now Orq angry") will amuse many young listeners; Nichols's digitally-colored pencil drawings strengthen the humor.
32 pp.
| Arbordale
| April, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-1-62855-558-5$17.95
|
PaperISBN 978-1-62855-567-7$9.95
|
EbookISBN 978-1-62855-585-1
(4)
K-3
When a young mammoth goes exploring, she crashes through thin ice and is swept downstream. Woolly encounters various prehistoric animals--including humans--before returning to the security of her herd. The illustrations show almost-smiling animals and reflect rather than extend the text, which tends toward an overly cute tone. An activity and additional information are appended. Bib.
(4)
K-3
Pebble Plus: Ice Age Animals series.
These volumes provide very basic information about Ice Age animals; Sabertooth and Mammoths end with those creatures' extinction (shrews are still around today). The texts are easy to read but occasionally vague: "Humans settled in the sabertooths' home"; "The babies [shrews] are born blind and naked." Fuzzy digital-looking illustrations play up sharp teeth, long tusks, or small ("tiny") size. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the these Pebble Plus: Ice Age Animals titles: Arctic Shrews, Sabertooth Cats, and Woolly Mammoths.
40 pp.
| Boyds
| September, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-62091-521-9$15.95
(2)
PS
Illustrated by
Lori Nichols.
Orq struggles to endear his woolly mammoth Woma to Mother. Then Woma saves Orq from becoming a meal for a saber-toothed tiger and finally wins Mother's heart. Succinct Paleolithic "prose" (Mother's objections: "Woma shed. Woma smell") allows room for plenty of visual humor. This silly tale of unconditional love between a cave boy and his pet mammoth is one for the ages.
Reviewer: Sam Bloom
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2014
32 pp.
| Holt
| January, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8050-9966-9$16.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Kate Hindley.
Suited up in a raincoat and rain boots, one determined youngster guides the reader step by step through the tricky task of bathing a woolly mammoth. From filling the tub to jumping into it with him, the child demonstrates that the best plan is to be patient and flexible. Like the text, Hindley's illustrations are simple and meticulous yet laced with humorous bits.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Judy Love.
A boy proposes bringing his woolly mammoth to the library, where the animal might cause some trouble but might also prove to be helpful. Accompanied by busy, detailed art, the silly but purposeful story introduces children to library terms such as literacy services and to be shelved carts.
32 pp.
| Candlewick
| May, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-7636-2148-X$$15.99
(2)
K-3
In this off-the-wall book, woolly mammoths Oscar and Arabella love the Ice Age's long winter months, but suffer when summer rolls around. "There was only one solution. They would have to give each other a haircut!" No one will mistake this ditty for an informational book: the lighthearted tone is set right away and sustained throughout, and the unrestrained illustrations suit the story admirably.
24 pp.
| ABDO
| January, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 1-57765-971-6$$21.35
(4)
K-3
Buddy Books: Prehistoric Animals series.
Prehistoric mammals are compared to their modern-day counterparts in terms of their physical appearance and eating habits and whether they live solo or in a group. In each book, a child is shown with a fossil (often a tooth) to compare sizes, and each includes a map and a prehistoric timeline. Although explained in the text, terms such as dermal ossicle challenge the second-grade reading level. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Buddy Books: Prehistoric Animals titles: Dire Wolf, Giant Ape, Giant Ground Sloth, Giant Rhino, Saber-toothed Cat, and Woolly Mammoth.]
(3)
YA
Discovery! series.
From their early ancestors up to their extinction, this book chronicles mammoths' existence. Chapters discuss what is currently known about these mammals, when and where they lived, and the discovery of remains. The authors present several theories as to why mammoths might have died out. The book is well documented, and the many photos and drawings add clarity to the text. Bib., glos., ind.
40 pp.
| Scholastic
| April, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-439-24134-0$$15.95
(4)
4-6
Along with considerable data about woolly mammoths, this book recounts the 1999 expedition to excavate a woolly mammoth preserved whole in Siberian permafrost. Named Jarkov for his nine-year-old nomadic discoverer, this animal offers unprecedented opportunity for study. The interesting story is well illustrated with color photos and paintings but told with inexplicable tense shifts and busy graphics. Ind.
(4)
4-6
Illustrated by
Mark Hallett.
Beginning with a discussion of the Jarkov Mammoth, recently unearthed in a frozen state, the volume also describes mammoth physiology and way of life, traces its family tree, and speculates on the possibility of bringing these extinct creatures back to life through cloning. The capably written text is stronger than the serviceable color illustrations, but the book remains an intriguing introduction to mammoths. Bib., glos., ind.
32 pp.
| Little
| April, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-316-57212-8$$15.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Jon Van Zyle.
In measured, readable prose, this book recounts how a family of woolly mammoths might have spent a year near the end of the Ice Age. Led by the fifty-year-old matriarch Wise One, with a slight tinge of anthropomorphizing, the animals travel, rest, eat, play, defend themselves, and mate. Detailed illustrations are impressively textured, and an appended fact page adds data.