Trapped in the tar pit How paleontologists unearthed a city's prehistoric past

K-Gr 1--Los Angeles may make readers think of movies, stars, and all things beautiful. But before it was Hollywood, just beneath the surface is a story. Thousands and thousands of years ago, prehistoric animals, birds, and insects lived on what is now considered La Brea--a neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA. Underneath the surface there are tar pits where these creatures were stuck, eventually offering up their fossils today. Author and illustrator do a wonderful job explaining to young children how fossils form. When animals were first stuck, or how, is not explicitly stated, but implied in the illustrations, especially the ones that include bones. However, the second part of the book is informative and explanatory but written at a higher grade and/or Lexile level that does not fit the same reader. It is two books. Educators will find a nonfiction picture book for early elementary children followed by a short nonfiction for upper elementary students. VERDICT Not an essential purchase, this subject lacks a consistent presentation throughout.--Laura Ellis

The fascinating story of the La Brea Tar Pits gets a wonderful introduction in Stremer's (Plight of the Pelican, rev. 3/25) latest offering. In prehistoric times, an earthquake strikes where Los Angeles now stands, allowing sticky black tar to seep up through the cracks. Rainfall obscures the danger that lurks there. A woolly mammoth wades in for a drink and gets trapped. Its cries of distress draw such predators as saber-toothed cats and dire wolves, which also get trapped. In fact, over time, an astonishing variety of animals become stuck in the La Brea Tar Pits. Eventually, the pits fill up with dirt and sand, and the animals' bones are buried. Humans arrived on the scene around nine thousand years ago, and the nineteenth-century discovery of fossils at the site leads to one of the most exciting advancements in the field: the ability to reconstruct the skeletons of "many different animals" from the area. Stremer's text is a model of cause and effect, capturing the inherent drama of the original mammoth's struggle while effortlessly condensing a long timeline without losing focus. Vidal's digital illustrations consist of vibrant double-page spreads that complement the text and breathe additional life into the story. An extensive background note, illustrated species list, and abbreviated bibliography are appended. Jonathan HuntSeptember/October 2025 p.91 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Discover a time capsule of preserved ancient animals hidden within L.A.'s La Brea Tar Pits. Dinosaurs are always a fan favorite, and a veritable plethora of relevant books exist to tempt youngsters, but what about the Pleistocene, with its fascinatingly strange ground sloths or dire wolves? Stremer illuminates this prehistoric period by sharing a secret: In a bustling Southern California neighborhood, under an innocuous-looking smudge of sticky tar, lie thousands of fossilized animal, insect, and plant remains. Jumping backward in time, the narrative follows an endearing mammoth who mistakes the tar for a watering hole and becomes trapped. Its struggle is tense and dramatic; young readers will feel for the animal as it trumpets for help, eyes wide with fear. Abruptly, the language becomes more clinical. Pitched to a young audience, the text clearly conveys facts about fossilization, covers the arrival of Native Americans and then European settlers, and explains why the site is so scientifically significant. Stremer never explicitly acknowledges, however, that the skull the scientists are excavating once belonged to the frightened mammoth, a potentially confusing omission. Strong backmatter provides more information on the tar pits; readers will appreciate the useful key of all the creatures depicted. Clean, earth-toned digital cartoon illustrations portray both extinct and current animals in easy-to-interpret tableaux. Human characters are diverse. A captivating addition to the paleontology shelf. (selected sources)(Informational picture book. 5-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.