Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals

by Hélène Rajcak, Damien Laverdunt

A fascinating journey around the world of extinct animals, combining cartoons with naturalist drawings, and mythology with science.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Science, Childrens, Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Nature

77 pages, Hardcover

First published August 28, 2010

About the author

Hélène Rajcak studied illustration at the National School of Decorative Arts in Paris. She also has a background in engraving and textile design. Her previous books include Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals. She lives in Paris.

Reviews

[LibraryCin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children’s book with large illustrations and cartoons explaining 27 extinct animals (well, 26 extinct, and at the time of publication, the giant tortoise George would likely to be the last of his species; he has since died). The book is divided into geographical areas and the animals focused on went extinct between 15,000 years ago up George (in 2012). Each animal gets a cartoon that either explains a myth or maybe a person who studied or “discovered” them, a large illustration with info about how/when it went extinct and general bits of info about it, as well as some stats like size, weight, etc.

I really liked this. I got my copy from the library, but to be honest, it’s such a quick read and there is a tiny bit of info about each, I don’t know how much I will remember. For that reason, I feel like this is a book that might be nice to have (though I can’t see myself buying it, but others might want to) in order to look back on.

I liked the little cartoons, and the corner with the stats also showed a silhouette of the animal beside a human for a size comparison (for birds, the silhouette compared the animal to a human hand). I thought that was a nice addition. One I will remember – I had no idea there were once giant 6’ beavers running around North America! It does frustrate me that the majority of these animals went extinct, due to (or at least in part) humans – hunting, habitat loss, and/or bringing invasive species with them. There is also a glossary at the back to help kids understand some of the terminology.

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Чували сте за птицата додо, нали? Може би дори сте я виждали? Не жива, разбира се. Само на картинка, или може би като макет-възстановка в някой природонаучен музей. Аз например се запознах още като дете с нея, но единствено под формата на причудлив герой от „Алиса в Страната на чудесата”. Защото тъжната истина е, че от 1662 година насам Raphus cucullatus се числи към безвъзвратно изчезналите от лицето на нашата планета животински видове. А още по-тъжно е, че птицата додо съвсем не е изключение. Уви, със своите безразсъдни действия хората са успели да превърнат не един и двама представители на фауната в далечен спомен. За 27 такива създания четем в книгата “Малки и големи истории за изчезналите животни” (изд. „Прозорец”) на Елен Ражкак и Дамиен Лавердюн. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...

[Ute · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insgesamt gelungene Kombination von Comic und leicht verständlichen Erklärungen (jeweils 2 großformatige Seiten je Tier). Vorgestellt werden 27 ausgestorbene Tiere rund um den Erdball.

Der Dodo / die Dronte sind seit zum Symbol der Ausrottung durch den Menschen geworden, bis heute

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is sort of like two books in one. Each of the extinct animals featured here is given a two page spread. The left page is a comic with some sort of myth, legend, historical fact, or anecdote related to the animal, done in a very cartoony style. The right will be mostly a large, fairly realistic, full color drawing of the animal, with a few facts about the animal and why it died off. It's a very fast read, and the art is quite good, especially the realistic animal portraits. I could've done with a bit more in the way of facts, but it seems like this book was written just to raise interest. I have to say that I was sad to see the Yangtzee river dolphin in here. It doesn't seem that long ago that they were "just" endangered.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to extinct species and subspecies from five continents. Informational text is paired with folklore or intriguing and entertaining anecdotes. A handsomely designed and illustrated book that will spark readers'imaginations and interests to learn more about these creatures.

[Detski Knigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Малки и големи истории за изчезналите животни” е луксозно издание – голям формат, твърди корици – и е отличен подарък за всеки малък любопитко (над 6 години), който с удоволствие е готов да скокне назад във времето, когато из Евразия е бродил вълнестият мамут, странстващите гълъби са били истинска напаст в Америка или Австралия е била дом на гиганти. Неохотните читатели също трудно ще се удържат да не се зачетат.
Цялото ревю - http://detskiknigi.com/istorii-za-izc....

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative! When I think of extinct species, I always imagine dunosaurs. so I had never heard of many of these extinct animals.

The comic strips that illustrated each featured extinct animal were educational and a great visualization of the animals' habitats, mythology, and how they became extinct. I also love the factoids featured the summary of each animal. I just wish the texts in the comic panel were easier for this old lady to read, ha.

[Bixi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informativ, interessant, teilweise sehr unterhaltsam aber auch traurig, weil es keine dieser Arten mehr gibt.

[Alexander Arevalo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Livro bom para crianças (e não crianças) enxergarem o mundo das extinções...

[Amanda Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written for kids/teenagers but still full of description, facts, full page colour pictures and each animal has an accompanying cartoon about its life/people who killed it off.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book divides the world into the Americas, Eurasia, Africa and Oceania and discusses animals that have gone extinct in each locale. Some such as the Woolly Mammoth and the Irish Elk became extinct due to climate change and others such as the Dodo Bird and the Passenger Pigeon were hunted to extinction by humans.

Each animal gets a comic strip that shares either a myth about them or something concerning their territory or the people that have studied/found them. Then an illustration in the style of the old fashioned images that naturalists made a hundred years ago with a couple of interesting facts. Many of the animals selected are very strange by today's standards and there are also many animals that are larger cousins of animals that are still somewhat common. There is also a small illustration in the upper right hand corner with a human next to it to illustrate the scale of the animal which I found very helpful. At the end there is frieze with a time line of the vanishing animals and a glossary.

I found this book really interesting and I thought that the comic strips were a great way to present all different kinds of information. I also found this book a little sad. More than half of the animals were made extinct due to human involvement. That being said I didn't feel like the authors were trying to beat you over the head with a point. This book is really about the animals which I found refreshing.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals Helene Rajcak is a great book to give to any student who is interested animals. It is filled with colorful pictures throughout. Each extinct animal in the book has a two page spread; one page has a cartoon and tells a few myths about the animal while the next page gives more facts about the animal and its lifestyle. The book also separates the animals into the areas they came from including The Americas, Africa, Eurasia and Oceania. The glossary in the back is also helpful. This non-fiction story is informative and fun. A fiction book that it could be paired with is Neversink by Barry Wolverton. Along the island of Neversink live a group of auks including a group of friends: a puffin, a walrus and a hummingbird. Owls that want to destroy them threaten the island. These owls were sent by the new king of the Owl Parliament because of a food shortage on the mainland. These books would be great for a fifth grader because the non-fiction book discusses animals that are extinct and the fiction book involves a group of animals who are trying to survive and not become extinct.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, hip, and a touch melancholy, Small and Tall Tales presents a variety of sadly departed creatures, several of whom astonish modern readers with their enormous or tiny stature compared to today's animals.

The author doesn't shy away from giving us the blunt facts when humans are to blame for a species' demise--some were victims of intentional slaughter; others, simple thoughtlessness. Either way, the result for the animals was a grim.

The only quarrel I have with this book is its depiction of John James Audubon as a harmless artist, trundling along behind birds to sketch them in mid-flight. In actuality, Audubon pioneered the pursuit of birdwatching in an age when it was conducted with a shotgun, not binoculars--and his impressive "life list" was made up of the birds he had successfully killed. There is no doubt he contributed to our understanding of nature, but I also dislike revisionist history.

[Joella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like looking at books of extinct animals. I am fascinated by them and often wish they were still around (how neat if Sicily still had dwarf elephants?). And there is a lot of information in this particular book...and some fun cartoons with explanatory information. But I feel like it is almost two books in one. The cartoon and explanation and the more traditional text of facts. I like the addition of both formats, but I just don't love it. Mostly it bothered me that I had to read the cartoon, then read the information under the cartoon while reading the cartoon again. (I had to figure out what was happening in the cartoon but then I had to re-read the cartoon to see how it fit with the explanation.) But, a brilliant book for reluctant readers to look at and read just the bits that are interesting to you.

[Lady Lioness · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could easily be subtitled: The Species Humanity Helped Wipe Out. Small and Tall focuses on 27 species that went extinct during the period of humanity's dominance over the Earth. There were some species I've never heard of before and some that I'd never previously associated with Homo sapiens like the Giant Moa and the Irish Elk.

Each species page is paired with a cartoon that highlights a way they crossed paths with humans, whether it be as legends, bones, or as victims. It's kind of sad when you realize the 27 are only a small fraction of now-extinct species as the book focuses primarily on mammals.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about endangered or extinct species and I think I'd put this at an elementary level. No good for storytime, but a good beginning reference volume.

[Christiane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a nice companion to the book "Unusual Creatures" by Michael Hearst. It is a collection of comics and drawings of extinct animals, from the well-known like the woolly mammoth, the dodo, and the great auk, to the lesser known giant lemur, Sicilian dwarf elephant (yes, there used to be little 2 feet tall elephants on most Mediterranean islands!), and thylacine. I really liked how the authors drew on folklore and legends as well, which sometimes show how the memory of even long extinct species has been passed down. This is a beautifully designed book that would appeal to adults as much as kids.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Combining legends and facts about 27 animals from around the world that are now extinct, this book is packed with information and illustrations that will certainly prompt conservation efforts and environmental-friendly movements. Young readers will surely be intrigued by the giant beaver who gnawed tree bark, the giant lemur, and the wooly mammoth. Something that I especially appreciated was how the author posed questions about the future of some of the animals related to those that are now gone. This would be a great addition to the classroom science library.

[Kifflie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was originally produced in France with scientific advice from the National Museum of Natural History. It's an interesting presentation of a number of extinct animals. One page is done in a comic-strip format narrating the history of each animal, and then the opposite page is a more straightforward description.

I learned about a number of animals that I was not familiar with (such as the thylacine and the Chinese river dolphin). And it's sad to read about how humans are responsible for so many of these extinctions.

[Ellen Myrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books go beyond just having gorgeous illustrations and fascinating texts and become works of art in themselves. This is a book with good "book feel." From the varnished cover to the pleasing palette, everything about this book shows that this was a labor of love. As each extinct animal is examined, the reader learns both the real and the apocryphal in a way that is memorable and enthralling.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started to read this book, I wasn't too sure that I would like it. It is a little bit like a graphic novel. It is really kind of interesting. Each story has a two page spread. The first page has either a myth or tall tale about what might have been the extinct animal. The second page is an informative little capsule of information about the animal. This book tries to cover all continents.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute and entertaining and enjoyable. However, I wonder if it should have been, since the text was at least in part about the tragedy of animals driven to extinction, almost invariably as a consequence of human actions. I think the little stories introducing each animal are just a bit too light-hearted.

[Ty Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a neat little book! The authors have blended together interesting natural history, myths from multiple cultures, age-appropriate humor and fun art to create a book that I would recommend to anyone wishing to teach young people about extinct animal species.

[Sarah Batchelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful tribute to the extinct animals of the world. The illustrations are gorgeous and the stories are sad and sweet.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book of excintc animals.

[kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent addition to any elementary/middle school library. Full of factual information on various extinct or nearly extinct animals presented in both text and cartoons... L:oved the format!

[Jess]

Good for kids aged 8-11.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about extinct animals.engaging for both my 8&5 year olds.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

AWESOME illustrations. Love the layout and the message. Highly recommend!

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

YES! Give the aurochs and giant sloths some limelight. Dinosaurs have enough books.

[Sara Neuhauser]

2010. Informational. Talks about animals the have gone extinct over time from different parts of the world, with maps.