Megabugs and other prehistoric critters that roamed the planet by Helaine Becker, illustrated by John Bindon

When I wrote this I was currently weeding the nonfiction and uneasily eyeing the 567s, knowing that it was time to weed, weed, weed, and replace. It's one of the sections that tends to get outdated fast, surpassed only by celebrity biographies and books on the government (the modern Congress in the Vietnam war? Did you know President Clinton is planning to reform health care?). Dinosaurs and fossils are tricky, because I really have to depend on reviews for accuracy - it's not a subject I personally am competent to judge.

So, when I find a book that my librarian instincts say "this will circulate!" and all the reviews give a thumbs up for accuracy, I am right there with my budget at the ready! Becker has written a large number of children's books, primarily nonfiction, and the illustrator, John Bindon, specializes in prehistoric life art for museums as well as movies and television. Warning: If you have any kind of bug phobias, this book is not for you.

After an introduction, explaining what an arthropod is and the eras of the earth, Becker profiles seven giant creatures that once roamed the earth. There's an illustration that runs across half the spread, a dramatic name "The Pincher," and various facts about about its adaptations, size, and probable diet and behavior. Readers will see a two-foot scorpion, eight-foot millipede and more! The book discusses the most likely reasons these creatures grew so large (oxygen) and then jumps into a spread of giant arthropods today, like the Japanese spider crab or giant burrowing cockroach. The final pages include speculation on "megabugs of the future" and a note on how the illustrations were created. I really appreciated this, as I'm always wondering, in prehistoric nonfiction, how they knew or guessed what they looked like? Back matter includes a glossary, further reading, and index.

Verdict: Sure to fly off your shelves, this is a great addition to your dinosaur and other prehistoric life sections. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781771388115; Published October 2019 by Kids Can Press; Borrowed from another library in my consortium