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Summary
Summary
Crocodiles and their ancestors are some of the most successful animals that ever lived. At the time of T-Rex, crocs ranged in size from 2 feet to over 40 feet long. They lived on land, in swamps, and in the sea. Some, like SuperCroc, were fierce predators. Some were heavily armored plant eaters. And when all of the dinosaurs (except birds) became extinct, the crocs lived on, becoming the crocodiles and alligators of today. Combining fantastic art and photography with vivid descriptions, Chris Sloan draws young readers into the latest discoveries about the lives of these amazing animals.
Author Notes
Christopher Sloan is a Senior Editor at National Geographic magazine and the author of two previous books for children--Feathered Dinosaurs (a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year) and SuperCroc and the Origins of Crocodiles. Mr. Sloan lives in Virginia.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-7 The author of Feathered Dinosaurs (National Geographic, 2000) has again dipped into the paleontological well to produce another exciting volume. The lucid, informative text not only describes Dr. Paul Sereno's African expedition to locate the fossil remains of 40-long Sarcosuchus imperator (aka SuperCroc), but also traces the development of crocodilians from their earliest known beginnings to the more familiar alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials of today. Large, dynamic, full-color photos and equally dramatic artwork depict this long evolutionary history, while the readable text explores such early entries as phytosaurs and aetosaurs, describes important fossil finds, and discusses possible reasons for crocodilian extinctions. The author also muses on the mysteries of the fossil crocs of Madagascar, which have more in common with South American fossils of the same era, rather than the expected connection to nearby Africa. Well written, colorfully illustrated, and with an eye-catching cover, this high-interest title will be devoured by paleo-predatorphiles. -Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Illustrated with color photographs of modern crocodiles and artwork of prehistoric ones, this concisely written volume introduces the nearly forty-foot-long prehistoric crocodile, [cf2]Sarcosuchus imperator.[cf1] Sloan discusses where and how its fossils were uncovered and identifies other prehistoric crocodiles. The final chapter explains that crocs are now endangered by human encroachment. Glos., ind. From HORN BOOK Fall 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 5^-8. Famous paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno writes the introduction and plays a starring role in this book about the discovery and excavation of Sarcosuchus, or SuperCroc. The first section, about the expeditions to Niger, vividly depicts the challenges an excavating team faces and gives readers a good view of the various jobs the scientists do abroad and at home. As the book continues, the material becomes heavier going, dealing with the specifics of crocodile science. The account is not for browsers; however, fans of paleontology or of crocodiles will find a great deal of information clearly explained. The illustrations are up to the high National Geographic standard, and the book design breaks up the information into manageable parts. The final section deals with the current endangered status of many of the world's crocodile species. A glossary is appended. Susan Dove Lempke
