STONE AGE BEASTS

Meet a set of hypercarnivores and humongous herbivores.

Even the (presumably) peaceable plant eaters look distinctly bad-tempered here: Baker-Smith goes for the gusto with spread-filling portraits of glowering creatures looming majestically like the Irish elk and “juggernaut” Siberian unicorn or flashing fearsome choppers like the “fast, furry, and frighteningly fierce" giant short-faced bear and the terrifying Wonambi. Except for the Steller’s sea cow, which was last seen in 1768, all have been extinct for multiple thousands of years. Why? Lerwill’s accompanying commentary, more appreciative than informative, cranks up the drama—“Can you imagine how it would have felt to come face-to-face with a hungry pack [of dire wolves] in the moonlight, their lips snarling and drooling?”—but discusses interpretations of fossil evidence in broad generalities. And when it comes to explaining why each monster went extinct, he just offers monotonous variations on “nobody knows for sure.” Maybe early human hunters wiped them out, or maybe it was due to changing climates or habitat loss. Still, entries on each creature include a range map and a fact box featuring a stylized human silhouette for scale; better yet, each radiates a ferocious, feral presence that will rivet young viewers.

Make way for some memorable megafauna.