SHARKS IN KANSAS

Kansas was once underwater—and the fossils to prove it are still turning up.

Award-winning science writer Stewart brings her characteristic clarity to this surprising history, tracing the story of the Western Interior Seaway, which covered what is now the Great Plains 85 million years ago. The text moves logically, from the intriguing hook that the opens the book (“Sharks in Kansas? Seems impossible, right?”) to discussions of the vanished seaway, introducing creatures through both narrative prose and brief, well-organized fact boxes that effectively balance scientific detail with accessible language. The tone stays energetic without tipping into breathlessness, and the additional sidebars and backmatter—including a clear explanation of plate tectonics and the formation of Monument Rocks—reward curious readers who want to go deeper. Stadtlander’s gouache artwork uses the full width of each spread to dramatic effect, making the vastness of the ancient sea palpable. A coastal scene crowded with a herd of Claosaurus on the shore, a Pteranodon soaring in the sky, and a shark in the water communicates scale and ecosystem richness in a single panoramic composition. The underwater spreads, layered with mosasaurs and ammonites at varying depths, suggest a fully realized world. Stadtlander’s cool blues and warm greens ground the prehistoric scenes in a naturalistic palette that feels both scientifically credible and visually immersive.

A solid, well-illustrated introduction to prehistoric North America.