These volumes present cautionary tales of human interactions with wild animals. Each starts off with basic information about the creatures and what makes them dangerous. This is followed by true stories of people being attacked, accompanied by moderately graphic color photos of the aftermath.

There are many things about this series that make it a valuable addition to elementary and middle school library collections. Students will be drawn to the realistic full-color photographs, the realistic diagrams of the creatures’ bodies, the real-life stories told by victims, and the interesting, attractive formatting that include text, diagrams, photographs, and the graphics on each page. . .[and librarians and teachers will appreciate the scientific information. The titles are exciting and attractive in a “gross” sort of way and will appeal particularly to boys for both leisure reading and research and also will qualify as high interest titles for those hard to please reluctant readers. Recommended.

Exciting stories about people who survived attacks by cougars, crocodiles, or rattlesnakes will draw readers to these books. Accompanying photos include fingers swollen after snakebites, a forearm caught in a crocodile’s jaws, and cougars devouring (nonhuman) prey. Text boxes feature quotations from witnesses and survivors. Yet, Hamilton does not limit her text to sensational incidents. Each book provides information on where the animals live and explains physical characteristics that make them successful predators.