Prehistoric Mammals

National Geographic Readers: Level 2

by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

From woolly mammoths to saber-toothed cats, prehistoric mammals once roamed Earth. With beautiful and engaging illustrations, authentic photos, and accessible text, kids will learn all about these mighty mammals in this Level 2 reader.


From the eBook edition.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Animals, Prehistory, Childrens, Picture Books, Nature

32 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld is the award-winning author of more than sixty books for children, including DINOSAUR TRACKS, "a great choice for even the most discriminating dinophiles" (School Library Journal); DID DINOSAURS HAVE FEATHERS?, a Children's Book of the Month Club selection, described as "fascinating" by Kirkus Reviews; and DINOSAURS BIG AND SMALL, a 2003 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Book Award winner.

When she's not reading, researching, writing, or editing, Kathleen loves to spend her free time exploring, doing fieldwork, and preparing fossils for her local natural history museums.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I guess that Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld's Prehistoric Mammals does indeed introduce a number of famous (and of course for shock and awe value also often strange and gigantic) prehistoric mammal species, I for one have found this book rather majorly and annoyingly disorganised, randomly jumping from one presented fossilised (scientifically discovered, described by palaeontologists) mammalian to the next with neither a time line that makes all that much sense (as in my opinion, Prehistoric Mammals does not ever really demonstrate and explain the actual development of mammals from the Triassic of 200 odd million years ago to the Holocene, to today, all that well and all that enlighteningly) nor how the featured ancient, how the presented prehistoric species are related to modern mammals (in other words, which of the mammal species portrayed in Prehistoric Mammals have evolved into the species, the forms we know of, we see today, including of course us, and which were experiments that basically ended up as so-called biological dead ends so to speak).

Again combined with (and this does seem to be a huge shortcoming with National Geographic in general) a frustrating and infuriating lack of any type of bibliography, any kind of source acknowledgments whatsoever (and thus naturally also and sadly no included suggestions for further reading and research), as well as once more some rather groan-worthy and totally lame riddles and stupidly silly puns, I for one have found Prehistoric Animals while perhaps and indeed mildly interesting to and for the intended audience (to and for children who are independent readers but not as yet totally fluent), a pretty well inadequate introduction to prehistoric mammals, and thus, an at best rather grudging two star ranking on my part (but honestly, if I were to consider Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld's Prehistoric Mammals with regard to how much I have personally and academically enjoyed and appreciated my reading experience, I would definitely and indeed only be granting one star, which I have now indeed decided to do, and thus I am lowering my ranking accordingly).

[Candylicious · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book to learn more about prehistoric mammals.The good thing is that each prehistoric mammal has it's own way to protect itself.And the bad part is that all the prehistoric mammals
died.I have learnt a new word called prehistoric, it's meaning is of, relating to, or existing in times
before written history.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

High-interest intermediate/advanced reader. Well done, interesting facts. Illustrations are awesome, but would have benefited from a scale reference (otherwise giant kangaroos just look like normal kangaroos) and timeline. Highly recommended for ages 5-10.

[Hilda L · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is not that good but I choose 5 because the book has great information about life long ago.

I would like this book.
The series National geographic series gives good information and tells you about different things like about animals.

[Maya Engbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Informational Nonfiction
Grades 1-3
It was very interesting to read about wooly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers! I learned some new things as a college student! I think that this book is a great resource for children who have an interest in prehistoric mammals!

[Joe Holman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written with great pictures. Fits well for reading level 2.

[Monica Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son said he learned about old animals

[Viki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very boring I finished in 6 minutes and it felt like forever because it was so boring

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Newly independent readers will be intrigued by the prehistoric mammals they encounter here. Their caregivers may learn a thing or two as well. Relying on highly detailed illustrations, the informational text describes saber toothed tigers and wooly mammoths, who are more commonly known by anyone interested in prehistory, but it also introduces readers to some creatures that are much less known. For instance, readers learn about the hornless rhino, the largest land-living mammal, and the mighty Basilosaurus, a prehistoric whale that was comparable in size to many dinosaurs. Even though it isn't about dinosaurs, anyone that enjoys reading about them will be likely to enjoy this book as well. Vocabulary study and a quiz on mammals make this one even more useful in today's elementary science classrooms.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid entry, but I thought it was a little bit long. (I started to lose interest about 3/4 of the way through, and I'm a grown-up. Or maybe it's *because* I'm a grown-up. Who knows?) It gave a very thorough review of some of the more glossed-over early mammals (I mean, everybody knows about mammoths and saber-toothed tigers, but what about the horned gopher??) and had some really good comparative language for sizes. Excellent illustrations, as well.

[Balters' 3rd Grade Class · Rating 3 out of 5]

M.J. 3 stars