ALA Booklist (Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

This intriguing book offers a chronological account of giant squids, beginning with sailors' tales about krakens and leading up to the groundbreaking discoveries of the past few decades. Following the dramatic prologue, in which readers are asked to imagine themselves centuries ago on a sailing ship attacked by a sea monster with many-clawed tentacles, the book incorporates legend, history, popular culture, and science into a sometimes fascinating story. Newquist, who also wrote The Great Brain Book (2004), clearly describes the challenges faced by scientists in recent years, searching for elusive giant squids in the ocean depths and, later, studying their bodies in the lab. The many illustrations, in color when available, include photos, engravings, and maps. Although there are no source notes, the acknowledgments section references several scientists who provided information. Readers motivated to learn more about giant squids are referred to two adult books and five Internet sites. An attractive, informative book on an underrepresented topic.

Horn Book (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

The 1860s brought a rash of sightings of enormous squidlike sea monsters. Another wave happened in the 1960s. Photographs and video of live squid have enhanced our understanding in recent years, but we still know little about these mysterious creatures. The book's cover plays to the monster audience; inside, concise text, complemented by illustrations, photographs, and maps, smoothly segues between history and science. Websites. Bib., ind.

Kirkus Reviews

In an engaging, fast-paced text, Newquist chronicles how centuries-old myths about a sea monster known as the kraken transformed into the modern study of Architeuthis dux , the giant squid. Until the 1870s, when dozens of giant squid were sighted and more mysteriously washed up dead on coasts around the world, scientific knowledge of the creature was fragmentary, and speculations about it were based more on fiction than facts. Even now, despite enormous advances in underwater exploration technology, the creature remains shrouded in mystery. A live squid was not observed until 2004, by Japanese scientists. The author does a commendable job of packing a great deal of information into a compact narrative. He seamlessly moves among exploration of history, mythology, film, literature and scientific discovery; the discussions of how everyone from Alfred, Lord Tennyson to Jules Verne to Walt Disney kept the myth of the ferocious kraken alive in people's imaginations are especially interesting. The book is abundantly illustrated with charts, maps and photographs. (bibliography, suggestions for further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 9 & up)

School Library Journal (Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Gr 4-6 The title of this fascinating chronicle of giant and colossal squids comes from the warnings placed by early mapmakers to alert sailors about unknown territories and dangers, and the prologue starts things off with a scary story about sighting a mysterious and terrifying sea monster. Each chapter continues the richly detailed story as humans explored and learned more about its life forms. The narrative builds suspense as scientists throughout the world gathered information from sightings and discoveries of body pieces washed up on shore. Full-color photographs, drawings, and reproductions of historical maps and posters amplify the text throughout. Size comparisons to familiar objects provide instant recognition, e.g., the eye of the colossal squid can be more than a foot wide and resemble a beach ball. The last chapters describe and illustrate the exciting recent global efforts that have led to amazing discoveries. A bibliography and detailed index add to the usefulness of this book for reports, but this title will engage general readers with its wealth of historical and scientific information about these fearsome animals. Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA