Living Fossils: Survivors from Earth's Distant Past

Hirsch, Rebecca E.

ISBN 10: 154158127X ISBN 13: 9781541581272

Publisher: Millbrook Press ™, 2020

Synopsis

Life on Earth has existed for 3.5 billion years. In that time, 99.9 percent of the species that have ever lived have gone extinct. But a few have survived almost completely unchanged . . .

Take a journey through time to meet six living fossils: the chambered nautilus, the horseshoe crab, the platypus, the West African lungfish, the tuatara, and the solenodon. Author Rebecca E. Hirsch takes readers on an adventurous and comprehensive look at evolution, extinction, and a spectacular timeline of the history of animal life on Earth. Dive into the stories of these incredible animals and find out how they help scientists piece together evolutionary history.

About this title

About the Author

Rebecca E. Hirsch is an award- winning children's author with a PhD in plant biology. Her picture books include Plants Can't Sit Still and Night Creatures: Animals That Swoop, Crawl, and Creep while You Sleep. She lives with her husband and three children in State College, Pennsylvania. You can visit her online at rebeccahirsch.com.

Reviews

Gr 4-8-Life on Earth has existed for nearly 3.5 billion years, but 99.9 percent of the species that have ever lived have gone extinct. Six of these living fossils are described in engaging, easy-to-read, and beautifully illustrated chapters. These living fossils include horseshoe crabs, which climb ashore from their deep-sea habitat to lay thousands of eggs from Florida to Maine; the West African lungfish, which has a dual system of gills and lungs; and the tuatara lizard of New Zealand, which can slow its heart to seven beats an hour and live to at least 100 years. Full-color drawings, charts, and photographs spotlight these living fossils, their fragile habitats, and the scientists who study them. A time line details the history of life on Earth. A glossary, an index, sources, and websites are included. VERDICT Recommended for all libraries. This illustrated title is a fascinating overview of animals that are the last or almost the last of their kind within the context of evolution and extinction.-Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County P.L., VAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Millbrook Press ™
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 154158127X
• ISBN 13: 9781541581272
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 48