Miss Lernin and Ronnie explored the Mezosoic era in the first entry in Howard's Earth Before Us series. In this installment, a visit to the aquarium inspires a trip to the Paleozoic era to see some pioneering aquatic life. At first, Ronnie's not impressed by tiny mollusks and chordates, but under Miss Lernin's enthusiastic tutelage, she starts to see how fascinating those creatures are. This is a comprehensive, accessible intro to the foundations of evolutionary biology, and Howard's detailed, approachable illustrations of prehistoric creatures, almost all of which are labelled, are impressively, scientifically rendered. There are lots of jokes, too, especially from goggle-eyed Ronnie and Miss Lernin, whose comical commentary is perfectly matched by their outsize facial expressions and reactions. As they travel through prehistoric time, their explorations take them from the ocean to the land, which is a perfect opportunity to witness the mechanics and evidence of evolution. Stylish, informative, and funny, this inviting work of graphic nonfiction is ideal for visual learners as well as those who can't get enough of prehistoric creatures.

Ronnie (Dinosaur Empire!) is ready for more time-travel education with sitter Miss Lernin. After a trip to the aquarium, they travel to the Paleozoic Era to learn about life before dinosaurs. Drawings and diagrams help Ronnie understand evolution through the six periods they visit. Readers will be drawn to the graphic-novel format; they'll enjoy the story and learn a lot of science, too. Glos.

Gr 4-6 Everybody loves dinosaurs, but what came before them? Howard's second book in the series transports readers back 505 million years to the Paleozoic era, stopping for a close look at each of its six periods, from Cambrian to Permian. Detailed illustrations of the microscopic flora and fauna of ancient sea floors allow for careful examination of the strange and wondrous creatures along the long chain of evolution. Young fans of informational books will appreciate the many facts, pronunciation keys, and diagrams that fill Howard's accessible narrative, as we follow the protagonist Ronnie and her teacher and caretaker, Miss Lernin, on their adventure. Graphic novelstyle panels support the conversational dialogue between Ronnie and Miss Lernin, and caption boxes explain various elements of natural science covered in their exploration. A fun sorting activity concludes the narrative. VERDICT A must for avid dinosaur fans and budding natural scientists. Lettycia Terrones, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign