School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Another beautiful collaboration from the team responsible for The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea (Holt, 2015). Fourteen animals vie for the title of deadliest creature in the world by highlighting special adaptations and abilities that enable them to go after prey or protect themselves. Short, detailed paragraphs describe how toxic venoms or powerful punches allow these animals to paralyze or even kill their enemies; each explanation ends with the simple statement "That's why I am the deadliest creature in the world." Gorgeous, remarkably realistic full-spread paintings depict these creatures in their habitats, sometimes in the throes of battle. Together, the intriguing facts and the mesmerizing artwork create a lush book worth poring over again and again. VERDICT Young animal enthusiasts will find this to be a wonderful introduction to some of the world's most frightening creatures and will be inspired to seek out more information.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Guiberson and Spirin return to the setup of The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea and The Greatest Dinosaur Ever as 14 animals make the case for why they deserve the honor described in the title. Among the entrants are the malaria-spreading anopheles mosquito ("Do you breathe? Do you move? Then I can detect you"), black mamba ("Even when I am dead, my venom can kill"), and ostrich ("I can kill a lion, hyena, or human with my powerful, swift kick"). The animals' pitches are perfectly tuned to fascinate (and frighten), and Spirin's characteristically rich and detailed artwork doesn't shy from showing these predators doing what they do best. Ages 4-8. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Fourteen diverse animal species claim to be the world's deadliest creature. Each animal declares its name in capital letters, and then briefly provides clear, descriptive, and compelling evidence as to why it deserves the title. Close-up spreads done in tempera, watercolor, and pencil heighten the fearsomeness of each creature. Readers are invited to debate which animal is most convincing. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
The author and illustrator of The Greatest Dinosaur Ever (2013) and The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea (2015) here offer a book featuring a very different superlative. In one double-page spread after another, an animal touts itself as the deadliest of them all. Guiberson makes a good case for the anopheles mosquito, which kills millions each year by spreading malaria. But don't forget the rock python, known to prey on antelopes with its powerful squeeze, gaping jaws, and backward-curving teeth. And for sheer horror, it's hard to beat a 300-pound Komodo dragon, with a mouth dangling saliva that drips with venom and bacteria before it even bites. Each narrative will hold readers' attention with its boastful delivery and lethal details. Created with tempera, watercolor, and pencil, Spirin's precise, richly atmospheric illustrations depict each contestant with subtle effects of color, texture, and light. An appended note links the development of animal toxins to the need of small, slow, and fragile animals to survive, and then asks readers to choose who is the deadliest creature. --Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist
