OUTSIDE AND INSIDE WOOLLY MAMMOTHS

Just when you think there is nothing more to be said about woolly mammoths, Markle finds a way to present information in a fresh new way. Here she compares the preserved remains of woolly mammoths and modern elephants, showing similarities and differences in ears, coats, feet, teeth and diet. Throughout, she asks intriguing scientific questions while investigating the extinction of these ponderous mammals. For example, most elephants have large ears with many blood vessels that are used to reduce body heat when the weather is very warm. The mammoth, on the other hand, had very small ears, good for conserving heat in cold climates, but not useful in dispersing body heat when the climate grew warmer. Perhaps as the climate grew warmer, mammoths could not adapt, and they died of overheating. Clear, color photos are used throughout, and references are made to the tools that modern scientists use to study remains and learn more about extinct animals. Markle leaves the reader with a tease about the possibility of cloning mammoths, and encourages young science enthusiasts to go out and solve their mysteries. Solid science and a good but challenging read. (Nonfiction. 10-14)