A poetic look at a defining event in Earth's history. Sixty-six million years ago, an asteroid hurtled through space toward an ancient Earth that looked very different from the one we know today. Back then, enormous creatures towered over marshes, soared above forests, and ruled the seas, while smaller life-forms scurried and snarled, swam and bloomed. Then-SMASH!-an icy cosmic rock crashed into the planet, and life on Earth was completely changed. Though many species were made extinct because of this one cosmic rock, some life found a way to continue and develop over millions of years, eventually evolving into the diverse life-forms-including humans!-that thrive on our planet today. With poetic text, stunning illustrations, and a child-centered conclusion, this accessible narrative nonfiction is perfect for STEM collections and sparking thought-provoking conversations about Earth's history, the extinction of the dinosaurs, and evolution. AGES: 5 to 8 AUTHOR: Karen Krossing is an award-winning author for kids and teens, including the picture books Sour Cakes and One Tiny Bubble. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Karen lives in Toronto on the traditional territory of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Anishinabeg and the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. Julia Vasileva has a literature degree but now instead of studying books, she illustrates them, drawing both traditionally and digitally. Julia lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. SELLING POINTS: . STEM curriculum ties to life systems and space systems Endnote and glossary provide additional context for curious readers . Combines science and social-emotional learning with themes of adaptation and resilience . Expert-reviewed by Professor Paul M. Barrett, a vertebrate paleontologist with the Natural History Museum in London, England . New from Karen Krossing, award-winning author of One Tiny Bubble and Sour Cakes
