Oversized animals past and present run, hop, swim, slither, and fly through physical space and time in Mega, a fact-filled, mind-blowing, middle-grade nonfiction picture book written by science writer Jules Howard (Encyclopedia of Animals) and stunningly illustrated by Gavin Scott (Everything You Know About Sharks Is Wrong!).
Howard breaks down the important role megafauna has played in Earth's billions of years of evolution by first giving readers a brief introduction to megafauna and a definition. The term megafauna "is often used by scientists to describe animals that weigh more than 100 pounds." Howard describes five animal categories: mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and mollusks, breaking each category down into further subcategories. Within each, Howard profiles a "biggest extinct" animal (such as an Asian straight-tusked elephant) then discusses its modern, often smaller descendants (like the African bush elephant) and examines the role of the contemporary animal in their habitat (examples include spreading seeds, keeping other populations "in check," and affecting world-wide oxygen levels). Howard ends with a call to action and a helpful glossary of terms.
Mega features an incredible amount of information and insight packed into single double-page spreads. Scott's full-color illustrations are realistic and artful, beautifully capturing modern megafauna and bringing to life extinct creatures. His illustrations are detailed, accurate, and animate--not anthropomorphized but captured with the light of intelligence in their eyes. The culminating effect of Howard's text and Scott's art is a gratifying, wholly fascinating look at the animal world and a wonderful addition to middle-grade nonfiction. --Kyla Paterno, freelance reviewer