About the Author

Mary Meinking grew up in Iowa and went on to graduate from the University of Kansas, where she met her husband-to-be, Scott. They married and had two children, Brittany and Benjamin. She works as a graphic designer during the day but writes for children at night. Her non-fiction articles were published in a dozen different children's magazines. Mary's written over two dozen nonfiction books about arts and crafts, extreme jobs, animals, pop stars and history. When not working, writing or hanging out with her family, Mary enjoys doing arts and crafts, baking, gardening and traveling. To learn more about Mary visit her web site: www.MaryMeinking.com

Reviews

Opening with attention-grabbing drama--"Teeth pierce! Tails splash!" (Dolphin), "Claws rip! Horns stab!" (Lion)-and using words like "challenger," "battle," and "winner," each of these short texts presents a blow-by-blow encounter between a predator or group of predators and their common prey. Surprisingly (but realistically), the prey escapes (or in the case of Tarantula, successfully defends a clutch of nestlings) in five of the eight titles. Dolphin includes a simplistic claim that "A dolphin will help an injured person in the sea," but in general the information is accurate. In Crocodile, Owl, Shark, Tarantula, and Wolf, close-up scenes of feasting predators may disturb more sensitive young viewers (in the volumes on the other creatures, predator and prey are seen in different pictures), but for the most part the photos are more exciting than disturbing. School Library Journal April 2011-- "School Library Journal"

Snarling, biting, running, hiding, ripping teeth, sharp antlers, and slashing hooves... all of these terms are used, along with many others, in describing animals in the Predator vs. Prey series. Students in grades 3-5 will be intrigued by these books. Each sets up opponents as competitors in a contest--a life and death struggle depicted by beautiful action photographs of the predators and prey. The adaptations of each competitor are described, as are their sizes, weights, and particular strengths. A color-coded world map shows the animals' locations; this could be useful in tying geography in with the science curriculum. Potentially new vocabulary terms are presented in bold type to make it easier to pick them out in the text. Some of the terms may already be familiar to older readers but to younger ones this is very helpful. Yellow "Did You Know" information balloons present interesting facts that are important to understanding the animal. In addition, there is a "Find Out More" section listing additional books and websites. The final pages of text describe the "winner" of the contest (with some surprises) and the odds of the predator catching the prey. Each 32-page book in the series ends with a traditional glossary and index, which will be useful to readers. This is a great book series that will help get young students interested in science and at the same time dispel some myths (like the idea that wolves, sharks, and lions always get their prey). In Tarantula vs. Bird, readers will be surprised to find a spider capable of taking a baby bird. The description shows parent birds defending their nestlings and generally keeping the spider at bay, sometimes knocking the spider to the ground from high in the tree and most often winning this battle. Being a carnivore, even a large and powerful one, is hard work. The adaptations in predators and prey are good lessons for elementary students. Every elementary teacher in grades 3-5 should have this series available for reading. It will promote interest in science in a broad array of students. Reviewer: Steve Canipe NSTA Recommends 2/23/2011-- "NSTA Recommends"

This series has large color photographs, many of which are close-ups, showing the predator chasing its prey. Although the prey is sometimes caught and eaten, the pictures are not gruesome. Each of the books has unfamiliar words in bold. These words can also be found in the one-page glossary. There are captions with arrows pointing to particular areas of interest in the photographs. A drawing of a globe, with one of these captions and a key, shows where the predator and prey live. A short story concerning the predator and prey ends in one of them winning in the chapter titled "And the Winner Is" followed by a chapter explaining how often the predator catches its prey. Bibliography. Glossary. Websites. Index. - Janet Luch, Educational Reviewer, Visiting Professor DeVry University, Adjunct Instructor SUNY New Paltz, Touro College, University of Phoenix Online Library Media Connection August/September 2011-- "Library Media Connection"

Opening with attention-grabbing drama--Teeth pierce! Tails splash! (Dolphin), Claws rip! Horns stab! (Lion)-and using words like challenger, battle, and winner, each of these short texts presents a blow-by-blow encounter between a predator or group of predators and their common prey. Surprisingly (but realistically), the prey escapes (or in the case of Tarantula, successfully defends a clutch of nestlings) in five of the eight titles. Dolphin includes a simplistic claim that A dolphin will help an injured person in the sea, but in general the information is accurate. In Crocodile, Owl, Shark, Tarantula, and Wolf, close-up scenes of feasting predators may disturb more sensitive young viewers (in the volumes on the other creatures, predator and prey are seen in different pictures), but for the most part the photos are more exciting than disturbing. School Library Journal April 2011-- "School Library Journal"
Snarling, biting, running, hiding, ripping teeth, sharp antlers, and slashing hooves... all of these terms are used, along with many others, in describing animals in the Predator vs. Prey series. Students in grades 3-5 will be intrigued by these books. Each sets up opponents as competitors in a contest--a life and death struggle depicted by beautiful action photographs of the predators and prey. The adaptations of each competitor are described, as are their sizes, weights, and particular strengths. A color-coded world map shows the animals' locations; this could be useful in tying geography in with the science curriculum. Potentially new vocabulary terms are presented in bold type to make it easier to pick them out in the text. Some of the terms may already be familiar to older readers but to younger ones this is very helpful. Yellow Did You Know information balloons present interesting facts that are important to understanding the animal. In addition, there is a Find Out More section listing additional books and websites. The final pages of text describe the winner of the contest (with some surprises) and the odds of the predator catching the prey. Each 32-page book in the series ends with a traditional glossary and index, which will be useful to readers. This is a great book series that will help get young students interested in science and at the same time dispel some myths (like the idea that wolves, sharks, and lions always get their prey). In Tarantula vs. Bird, readers will be surprised to find a spider capable of taking a baby bird. The description shows parent birds defending their nestlings and generally keeping the spider at bay, sometimes knocking the spider to the ground from high in the tree and most often winning this battle. Being a carnivore, even a large and powerful one, is hard work. The adaptations in predators and prey are good lessons for elementary students. Every elementary teacher in grades 3-5 should have this series available for reading. It will promote interest in science in a broad array of students. Reviewer: Steve Canipe NSTA Recommends 2/23/2011-- "NSTA Recommends"
This series has large color photographs, many of which are close-ups, showing the predator chasing its prey. Although the prey is sometimes caught and eaten, the pictures are not gruesome. Each of the books has unfamiliar words in bold. These words can also be found in the one-page glossary. There are captions with arrows pointing to particular areas of interest in the photographs. A drawing of a globe, with one of these captions and a key, shows where the predator and prey live. A short story concerning the predator and prey ends in one of them winning in the chapter titled And the Winner Is followed by a chapter explaining how often the predator catches its prey. Bibliography. Glossary. Websites. Index. - Janet Luch, Educational Reviewer, Visiting Professor DeVry University, Adjunct Instructor SUNY New Paltz, Touro College, University of Phoenix Online Library Media Connection August/September 2011-- "Library Media Connection"

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