What do you think?
Rate this book
Apex Predators: The World's Deadliest Hunters, Past and Present
What does it take to be "top dog?" In this illustrated exploration of the animal kingdom, Caldecott Honor winner Steve Jenkins introduces readers to some of the most powerful predators in history, from the Tyrannosaurus rex to the African Siberian tiger. Using his signature cut paper art style, Jenkins illustrates how these animals dominate their different ecosystems using speed, strength, and even cooperation and cunning. Take a trip through history and discover apex predators both past and present, from the earliest sea creatures to the modern African lion and giant freshwater ray, which can grow to over fifteen feet.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published June 6, 2017
2 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Steve Jenkins
134 books234 followersSteve was born in 1952 in Hickory, North Carolina. His father, who would become a physics professor and astronomer (and recently his co-author on a book about the Solar System), was in the military and, later, working on science degrees at several different universities. We moved often. Steve lived in North Carolina, Panama, Virginia, Kansas, and Colorado. Wherever he lived, he kept a menagerie of lizards, turtles, spiders, and other animals, collected rocks and fossils, and blew things up in his small chemistry lab.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 20, 2020
I chose this as a WOW book because I have often learned about typical dinosaur predators like the T-Rex, but this book educates the reader on the top predator of modern times, as well as prehistoric. It broadens our knowledge about the many predators that lived on land and in water, and they go beyond the normal dinosaur image. This book highlights these top predators, and teaches the reader about the adaptations these animals have made to be at the top of the food chain. It takes the reader on a journey to learn about how interesting these animals are, and that there are many of them who are/were hunted by humans.
This book would be considered a 1-4th grade book, but also applicable in 5th grade. This book uses lots of content area vocabulary that may be hard for a younger reader. There are lots of names of animals, and terms that need to be broken down at the structural level to pronounce. In addition, the content of the book may be frightening to a younger child, since it talks about animals hunting prey, and potentially hunting humans. I would use this book as a read aloud introduction to the topic of fossils and prehistoric time periods in a social studies or science lesson. All of the research and information regarding any of these dinosaurs or prehistoric animals is possible through the study of fossils. We can see where an animal lived, approximately when it lived, and what attributes it possessed.
I would also use this book as a supplement in my classroom teaching of food chains and transfer of energy. When learning about carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores, its important to give the students examples of the different animals and the traits they possess that help them find food. When looking at a food chain, the students could see that these top predators are at the top because they have specialized hunting skills and adaptations that help them catch prey, while simultaneously not being hunted themselves. The food chain highlights all different science topics such as wildlife, energy transfer, nutrients needed for life, etc. This book could be a supplement to any of these aspects of food chain instruction.
*This was an e-text
This book would be considered a 1-4th grade book, but also applicable in 5th grade. This book uses lots of content area vocabulary that may be hard for a younger reader. There are lots of names of animals, and terms that need to be broken down at the structural level to pronounce. In addition, the content of the book may be frightening to a younger child, since it talks about animals hunting prey, and potentially hunting humans. I would use this book as a read aloud introduction to the topic of fossils and prehistoric time periods in a social studies or science lesson. All of the research and information regarding any of these dinosaurs or prehistoric animals is possible through the study of fossils. We can see where an animal lived, approximately when it lived, and what attributes it possessed.
I would also use this book as a supplement in my classroom teaching of food chains and transfer of energy. When learning about carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores, its important to give the students examples of the different animals and the traits they possess that help them find food. When looking at a food chain, the students could see that these top predators are at the top because they have specialized hunting skills and adaptations that help them catch prey, while simultaneously not being hunted themselves. The food chain highlights all different science topics such as wildlife, energy transfer, nutrients needed for life, etc. This book could be a supplement to any of these aspects of food chain instruction.
*This was an e-text
April 8, 2020
Ebook Link: https://ofs-d44acb7d3ee9524a846428c2c...
“Apex Predators” is an informative book, written by award winning author Steve Jenkins. Children can learn about our world’s deadliest modern day and extinct hunters. This book would be perfect for any fourth or fifth grade classroom, and can be implemented in many ways. One idea is to have students pick one predator from the book and conduct further research. Then they will write a short research paper on their chosen predator. This will allow students to practice writing and research skills. It also integrates science into reading and writing curriculum. Another way to implement this book is to pick two predators, modern and extinct, to go head to head. Have students pick which predator they think would win the fight. They must back up their choice with evidence. Once students have made their choice and gathered their evidence, let the class have a debate! This gives the students practice with gathering evidence to support arguments and the opportunity to articulate their arguments in a respectful manner.
“Apex Predators” was a WOW book for me, because of the way it was written and illustrated! It is hard to make informative books entertaining for all students, but Steve Jenkins has found a way to do it. I loved how he provided a size comparison of each animal to a human. This allows students to make personal connections and visualize how massive the animal really is. Each page contained a lot of information, but the paragraphs were simple and clear. In other words, it wasn’t too “wordy”! There are so many ways this book can be implemented to enhance the learning experience of students.
“Apex Predators” is an informative book, written by award winning author Steve Jenkins. Children can learn about our world’s deadliest modern day and extinct hunters. This book would be perfect for any fourth or fifth grade classroom, and can be implemented in many ways. One idea is to have students pick one predator from the book and conduct further research. Then they will write a short research paper on their chosen predator. This will allow students to practice writing and research skills. It also integrates science into reading and writing curriculum. Another way to implement this book is to pick two predators, modern and extinct, to go head to head. Have students pick which predator they think would win the fight. They must back up their choice with evidence. Once students have made their choice and gathered their evidence, let the class have a debate! This gives the students practice with gathering evidence to support arguments and the opportunity to articulate their arguments in a respectful manner.
“Apex Predators” was a WOW book for me, because of the way it was written and illustrated! It is hard to make informative books entertaining for all students, but Steve Jenkins has found a way to do it. I loved how he provided a size comparison of each animal to a human. This allows students to make personal connections and visualize how massive the animal really is. Each page contained a lot of information, but the paragraphs were simple and clear. In other words, it wasn’t too “wordy”! There are so many ways this book can be implemented to enhance the learning experience of students.
January 1, 2018
Excellent illustrations and fascinating, although limited facts.
May 9, 2017
With large pictures and short descriptions, Steve Jenkins teaches about the Apex Predators - those predators so powerful and ferocious that no one hunts them. Both extinct and modern, we learn about tigers and sharks and the Komodo dragon, the apex predator dinosaurs - like the giant Tylosaurus, and the Utahraptor, extinct mammals like the giant short-faced bear and the marsupial saber-tooth, and even extinct predatory birds like the giant Teratorn or the flightless terror bird.
Each illustration includes a scale reference with a drawing of an adult human male standing beside the predator, and a little tidbit of “further information” about each one. At the end, there was an "apex predator face off" - both on land and on sea, to see how a modern predator would stand up against an ancient one. This would work great in a middle school or elementary classroom as a springboard for further study of a species or as a discussion in a science class about these unique creatures. There is a mention at the end that man is the deadliest predator that ever lived. Includes a bibliography and websites you can visit for further information.
Cross-posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
Each illustration includes a scale reference with a drawing of an adult human male standing beside the predator, and a little tidbit of “further information” about each one. At the end, there was an "apex predator face off" - both on land and on sea, to see how a modern predator would stand up against an ancient one. This would work great in a middle school or elementary classroom as a springboard for further study of a species or as a discussion in a science class about these unique creatures. There is a mention at the end that man is the deadliest predator that ever lived. Includes a bibliography and websites you can visit for further information.
Cross-posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
May 12, 2018
Succinct, engaging information about current and extinct apex predators with a visual scale reference to help readers visualize the size of each animal showcased and illustrations by Steve Jenkins make this book an enjoyable, quick read. A "Who Would Win?" section at the end will get readers comparing and contrasting predator facts to see if they agree with the book's assessment. I really enjoy Jenkin's illustrations, but personally, I always rather read a non-fiction picture book on animals that has photographs rather than illustrations.
April 17, 2020
This book is about predators that are at the top of their food chain. It begins by explaining all about an apex predator, the world’s deadliest hunter. The author explains that these creatures are too big, too tough and too “well-armed” to be hunted by other animals. The writer discusses predators from past and present, ranging from creatures in the sea to those who roam dry land. He begins with modern apex predators and works his way backwards through time. The author also shares how these different animals dominate the area in which they live. This book is a nonfiction or informational text, and I would use this book in 3rd or 4th grade during read aloud time.
There are several ways I would use this book in my future classroom. The first way is to utilize it during a science lesson about predators, prey, the life cycle and food webs/food chains. This book would be great to read aloud to the class before starting that unit. We could even look at some of the apex predators used in the book to create food webs or food chains and identify their prey. Another way I would use this book is through a writing lesson. I would have my students flip through the book to find a predator they find interesting. I would then have them conduct research on that predator and write a research paper and presentation. I would then have them present to the class so that everyone has the opportunity to learn even more!
This book was definitely a WOW book for me. I learned a ton from this book about several different animals, some I had never heard of before. It was definitely a very fascinating and informative text from which my future students could learn a ton. I also loved the illustrations in the book. They were so detailed that the animals almost looked real. I also love that you can literally take a trip through history when reading this book by learning about animals in present time to animals millions of years ago. In addition, I was impressed that the author included a visual scale so that students can see how large these animals actually are. Overall, this book was great, and I would recommend it to any future teacher.
There are several ways I would use this book in my future classroom. The first way is to utilize it during a science lesson about predators, prey, the life cycle and food webs/food chains. This book would be great to read aloud to the class before starting that unit. We could even look at some of the apex predators used in the book to create food webs or food chains and identify their prey. Another way I would use this book is through a writing lesson. I would have my students flip through the book to find a predator they find interesting. I would then have them conduct research on that predator and write a research paper and presentation. I would then have them present to the class so that everyone has the opportunity to learn even more!
This book was definitely a WOW book for me. I learned a ton from this book about several different animals, some I had never heard of before. It was definitely a very fascinating and informative text from which my future students could learn a ton. I also loved the illustrations in the book. They were so detailed that the animals almost looked real. I also love that you can literally take a trip through history when reading this book by learning about animals in present time to animals millions of years ago. In addition, I was impressed that the author included a visual scale so that students can see how large these animals actually are. Overall, this book was great, and I would recommend it to any future teacher.
October 7, 2017
Summary: I LOVED Apex Predators. I am not usually a fan of nonfiction books, however this book was so much fun to read. It compares predators today to predators of the past. When reading this book, students can learn about new animals as well as fun facts about animals that they are already familiar with.
Evaluation; I think that this book is really great for young readers. First, it has a very engaging cover with a T-Rex on it. Most students love dinosaurs, so I think that this would immediately catch their eyes. It also has headings on every page, which makes to book fun to read. The adjectives used by the author makes the story an adventure, which students would love. I also really liked how the author had a comparison scale that compares the predator’s size to the size of an average human. I also really like how at the end, the author told readers who would win in a fight, if a modern day predator could fight a prehistoric predator.
Teaching Point: I think I would use this book for a visualizing lesson. I would read a page or two each morning, and have the student draw what they think the predator may look like. I think that the adjectives used in this book make it perfect to practice visualizing.
Evaluation; I think that this book is really great for young readers. First, it has a very engaging cover with a T-Rex on it. Most students love dinosaurs, so I think that this would immediately catch their eyes. It also has headings on every page, which makes to book fun to read. The adjectives used by the author makes the story an adventure, which students would love. I also really liked how the author had a comparison scale that compares the predator’s size to the size of an average human. I also really like how at the end, the author told readers who would win in a fight, if a modern day predator could fight a prehistoric predator.
Teaching Point: I think I would use this book for a visualizing lesson. I would read a page or two each morning, and have the student draw what they think the predator may look like. I think that the adjectives used in this book make it perfect to practice visualizing.
Read
October 7, 2019Summary: This book is a fun little read for kids of all ages to enjoy. It discusses Apex predators from the past as well as the present. Each page introduces a new Predator that has unique qualities. It also gives a mixture of land and sea animals so you can get a feel for a predator from each kind of environment.
Evaluation: This book has great illustrations to go with each predator. The descriptions are short and to the point, which I think is great. It also has some scales for size to compare how large some of the creatures are compared to humans.
Teaching Idea: When discussing the qualities of non-fiction books, this would be a good book to do a scavenger hunt in. They can find bolded vocabulary words, glossary, and even some maps or figures. I think it would also be fun to have a “predator of the day” and read about one of the predators in the book each day of the school year.
Evaluation: This book has great illustrations to go with each predator. The descriptions are short and to the point, which I think is great. It also has some scales for size to compare how large some of the creatures are compared to humans.
Teaching Idea: When discussing the qualities of non-fiction books, this would be a good book to do a scavenger hunt in. They can find bolded vocabulary words, glossary, and even some maps or figures. I think it would also be fun to have a “predator of the day” and read about one of the predators in the book each day of the school year.
November 17, 2017
Sitting here, reading new books from school, when I saw this on my stack and sighed as I thought "Steve Jenkins has made a million of these things."
Know why? Because they're awesome. Sometimes I have to read a few pages to remember that. Who doesn't want to know about the giant short faced bear who was 12 feet tall? (Along with the illustrations of each animal is another smaller one in silhouette next to an adult human man so you can gauge the size. This helped me greatly.) Or that current day African wild dogs are incredible hunters: 9 out of 10 hunts end in a kill. Or that the water snake Titanoboa was 48 feet long. UGH/fascinating.
Steve Jenkins books make me want to tell everyone facts about animals. Kids work this way, too.
Know why? Because they're awesome. Sometimes I have to read a few pages to remember that. Who doesn't want to know about the giant short faced bear who was 12 feet tall? (Along with the illustrations of each animal is another smaller one in silhouette next to an adult human man so you can gauge the size. This helped me greatly.) Or that current day African wild dogs are incredible hunters: 9 out of 10 hunts end in a kill. Or that the water snake Titanoboa was 48 feet long. UGH/fascinating.
Steve Jenkins books make me want to tell everyone facts about animals. Kids work this way, too.
August 21, 2017
Overall I really liked it, I'm a sucker for the art and I like how the animals were shown as animals and didn't make them terrifying just because. Also always love the silhouettes to give a good size visual.
Not big on the entry on sharks and listing us a prey. They don't generally intend to eat us, and we really need to understand them rather than scaremonger, given people kill more sharks than sharks kill people. (We also kill more tigers than any other species...)
I think it's interesting he didn't shy from having kids say anomalocaris but used sea scorpion instead of euripterid.
Not big on the entry on sharks and listing us a prey. They don't generally intend to eat us, and we really need to understand them rather than scaremonger, given people kill more sharks than sharks kill people. (We also kill more tigers than any other species...)
I think it's interesting he didn't shy from having kids say anomalocaris but used sea scorpion instead of euripterid.
March 24, 2024
Jenkins never fails to please. The organization of this book is interesting as the connection to modern day and extinct predators is connected with small labels on the top of the pages. The illustrations and facts are fascinating as the small passages of facts included on each page. My students will find most amazing the face-offs of how these apex predators may fair against one another.
This is an easily read book with facts that will engage strong readers and the minds of those who listen to the pages read by peers or teachers. These illustrations are amazing! FUN!!!
This is an easily read book with facts that will engage strong readers and the minds of those who listen to the pages read by peers or teachers. These illustrations are amazing! FUN!!!
September 13, 2017
Steve Jenkins never disappoints with his amazing illustrations and interesting information. This book includes those deadliest hunters from long ago, of course including T Rex of millions of years ago and the Siberian Tiger of today. How they compare if against each other and how they compare to a human size is shown on each double-page spread. It's a book that will fascinate readers, children to adults.
October 4, 2017
I was surprised to see how many other books have the same title but different topics.
Good introduction to the word 'apex' and good size comparison charts.
No table of contents or index, so this book is mostly good for browsing and getting the 'wow' factor. No apparent organization, but does include "Modern Day Predators" and a Face-Off for a pair of water animals and land animals.
Could also serve as a pattern for youngsters to compare two
Good introduction to the word 'apex' and good size comparison charts.
No table of contents or index, so this book is mostly good for browsing and getting the 'wow' factor. No apparent organization, but does include "Modern Day Predators" and a Face-Off for a pair of water animals and land animals.
Could also serve as a pattern for youngsters to compare two
June 14, 2017
The thing I loved the most were the illustrations that showed the scale of each animal compared to a human. So many times, that was the part that gave me the most wow -- the bird with a 27 foot wingspan, a modern-day freshwater ray that is 8 feet across, and a one-inch early spider-like animal. There are modern predators, extinct predators, and (kids love these) a few apex predator face-offs.
June 19, 2017
Apex predators = creatures too tough, too big, or too well-armed to be hunted by other animals.
Fascinating comparisons between modern day and extinct top predators. The diagrams at the bottom showing the animals' sizes in comparison to humans really put the prehistoric animals in perspective. Students who like nonfiction will really love this one.
Fascinating comparisons between modern day and extinct top predators. The diagrams at the bottom showing the animals' sizes in comparison to humans really put the prehistoric animals in perspective. Students who like nonfiction will really love this one.
August 2, 2017
Let's put it this way: my 5 year old asked to get his notebook in the midst of bedtime read aloud to write to Steve Jenkins. He said, "This book is so awesome!" He especially loved the end when they imagine today's apex predators up against extinct apex predators. I can see this being a real hit with our readers.
September 28, 2017
I think anything Steve Jenkins does is superb! Love the collage work, the silhouettes add that needed information graphically instead of just saying how large or small an animal is, he gave the best possible solution. The faceoff is great as well as the information everyone must read about the deadliest predator of them all.
January 22, 2019
Before reading this book I had never heard the term "apex predator". It was interesting to learn about apex predators from the past and the present. I also liked that it had a section where they theorized what would happen if these past and present predators met each other. Lots of great information presented in a kid-friendly and appealing manner.
November 5, 2024
This informational book would be great for young readers that love animals and dinosaurs. It has lots of great facts about each animal, starting at modern day animals then going to extinct animals. Then, it also goes into detail about if these animals were to fight and who would win. This would be a great book to keep in a class library.
June 25, 2017
One nit-pick is how it lists humans as prey, which is a bit misleading since humans appear to mainly be attacked by sharks mistaking them for other, preferred prey, which contributes to misunderstandings about how many people are attacked and/or killed by sharks each year.
September 8, 2017
Really fascinating! Steve Jenkins is incredible, I always love his illustrations and his way of writing nonfiction too. I for some reason am most disturbed by the concept of terror birds. The idea of a 10 foot bird that may have weighed as much as a present day lion or tiger freaks me out.
June 19, 2018
This is maybe a little bit too wordy or detailed for a picture book, but it was a cool book all the same. I can certainly see the appeal to children who are into dinosaurs, or even animals in general. Cool information.
June 2, 2017
A superbly illustrated and informative introduction to top predators of today and yesterday.
June 14, 2017
Jenkins returns with another beautifully illustrated book. This time, his intent is clearly to scare the bejeezus out of his readers.
Well done, Jenkins. Well done...
Well done, Jenkins. Well done...
June 27, 2017
Loved the size comparisons between a human and the predators portrayed in the book. So glad that the giant short-faced bear is extinct. I'm also never going in the rivers in Southeast Asia.
July 14, 2017
Filled with information in an interesting and easy to read format.
Need to check out more of his books.
Need to check out more of his books.
August 5, 2017
Fascinating information.
August 9, 2017
Another fantastic book by Steve Jenkins. Do not miss the comparison illustration on each page, comparing the predator to a human male.
October 26, 2017
Fantastic! Steve Jenkins helps to introduce people to new things with beautiful illustrations and interesting facts.
May 29, 2018
It was okay. If you have a kid who is into this kind of info, it is a great book. It, however, didn't resonate with any of my kids (or me).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews