This is a very brief, attractive, oversize nonfiction book for older children that memorializes eight “endlings”—the last known survivors of their species. The diverse animals remembered were each known to humans—from Martha, the last passenger pigeon, who died in 1914 to Toughie, the last Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frog, who died in 2016. Most died in captivity. Habitat loss due to deforestation, pesticide use, pollution from industry or agriculture is the most common cause of species extinction. However, some animals have died out because humans introduced alien species to unique and sensitive habitats. Then, of course, there was overhunting.

Overall, the text is short on details and raises many questions. The vocabulary is relatively sophisticated, making the book suitable for kids 8 to 12. Included within are Aimee Van Drimmelen’s colourful portraits of the animals, which appear to be rendered in watercolour. Each profile provides the creature’s scientific name and begins with a rhyming quatrain. I honestly didn’t care for these snappy little rhymes, which seemed trite and even irreverent. I felt that, if anything, the poems trivialized the animals’ lives. Here’s the one about Toughie, the tree frog:

This handsome endling rests in peace.
Oh, fine amphibian!
Sweet Toughie has now hopped away
into oblivion.

Really? Why could the author not have composed something about the special qualities of the species to which the animal belonged? If anything, that would have underscored her message about the importance of the animals’ lives.

Kerbel ends with some sobering details and statistics. She lists thirteen creatures that may be extinct by 2050 and states that in less than a hundred years 50 percent of all species on Earth could be gone forever.

To her credit, she provides a list of seven practical things kids can do, from recycling and planting trees or habitat gardens to reading about the issues and talking about them with friends, classmates, and parents.

I think there’s value in brief books like this that don’t overload children with information, and to see individual named creatures does have power. I hate to quote him, but in this case Stalin’s observation, “One death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic,” really does apply.

Thank you to Net Galley and Orca Books for providing me with a digital advance reader copy, which I compared with a final hardback copy.

The illustrations were beautiful and this book contained such important information about the documentation of species that became extinct. It was sad to read, but there was a hopeful message in the end that we can work to help preserve habitats and save other animals from extinction. This is an important book and I highly recommend it for all ages.

We hear a lot about engangered and extinct animals but the story of the last known example of a species is pretty unique. And it certainly puts a face to the story of extinction.

The Late, Great Endlings: Stories of the Last Survivors by Deborah Kerbel and Aimée van Drimmelen pays homage to some of the more well-known endlings of the past century with rhyming stanzas that accompany watercolor illustrations and factual descriptions of each animal, along with the circumstances that led to their species' extinction. Together, these portraits of animals, like the passenger pigeon, the Pinta Island tortoise and the Tasmanian tiger, are a poignant symbol of a world irreversibly altered by human development, habitat loss and climate change. Readers are invited to reflect on the interconnectedness of all life forms on our planet with an additional look at animals that are at risk of becoming extinct in our lifetime. Concluding on a hopeful note, the final page offers suggestions for what kids can do to change the course of this mass species extinction crisis.

The Late, Great Endlings is a sad but interesting read about the last days of several endlings (the last member of a species). I liked learning the information shared, and I think the artwork does a good job of capturing the lives of the featured creatures. I also like that the book ended on a reasonably hopeful note. While reminding readers that we could very well see more species go extinct in our lifetimes, there are ways to mitigate our individual impacts and help make positive changes in the world around us to help slow or stop that decline. To be perfectly honest, the only part of this book I could have done without was the poetry. It seemed a little trite and unnecessary for the most part, and did little to add to the feel and purpose of the read.

I originally was interested in this book because of the tortoise on the cover. Our family has a Sulcata tortoise that we adore. But this book is so much more than that. My 8 year old son loved it as well. It’s a great way to introduce earth/environmental science to young kids in an interesting way. There were lots of facts and unique pictures to go along. We loved it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Orca Book Publishers for the ARC of this!

I was drawn to this expecting it to be sad, in the way that all extinction is sad, but something about the named last ones with specific death stories just tore at my heart. The illustrations were lovely and I will be sharing this with my kids the next time we dive into extinction. This was short and easy to read, but I would recommend reading with a child, especially a sensitive one.

The Late Great Endings, by Deborah Kerbel and illustrated by Aimée van Drimmelen is a solid work of YA non-fiction, detailing a number of "last creatures", those poor souls who were the last of their kind and who expired such that we had a record of them. Amongst the eight animals covered are:
• Martha: the last passenger pigeon (died 1914)
• Lonesome George: last Pinta Island tortoise (2012)
• Benjamin: last Tasmanian tiger (1936)
• Celia: last Pyrenean Ibex (2000)

Each segment begins with a brief poem, then a paragraph with a bit of detail on the animal and how/where it died. Honestly, I think the poems are a bad choice. By its nature, the subject matter is serious if not out and out depressing, and the rhyme scheme of the poems (which is hard to read in a non-sing-songy manner) I’d argue doesn’t fit the tonal nature. I would rather have had that space devoted to a bit more text on what made the animals unique. The text does offer up some poignant moments, such as Incas the last Carolina parakeet dying in the same cage as Martha. The book closes with a reference to some currently endangered species (here again more might have helped) and then a few tips for how kids can make a positive change with regard to environmental degradation/habitat loss. The illustrations are lovely, nicely colored and with the creatures set against a white background, so the focus remains on them with no distraction. While I would have dropped the poems and would have liked to have seen a bit more details in the text generally, overall The Late Great Endings is a good resource and would make a nice addition to classrooms or libraries.

The Late, Great Endlings is a very short read about animal extinction, and I still can't think of a way to present this book to students since it reads somewhat like an obituary to species that have gone extinct. It is a very sad and alarming book. Perhaps, it can be used as a starting point of conversation about actual steps that should be taken to slow down animal extinction and endangerment

Beautifully illustrated book. I didn’t like the end. It was all about how the child can save the planet. This is really inappropriate for the targeted audience. It would be best to leave scary stuff out of a childrens book about animals.

This is a beautifully illustrated book, with tough topics - each page shows the portrait of the last of a species,
along with a brief summary of what happened to them and what led to their extinction.

I think it's a great segue into talking about extinction, and especially the impact of humans on our environment and the individuals we share the world with. I thought showing "the last of a group" was really powerful at making a big problem accessible to kids. My 6 year old appreciated it, and I'll be recommending it to friends.

A beautiful book that looks at the last of a species, with each page showing a portrait and a quick summary of what happened to the species to cause their extinction.

A tough topic, but the book is thoughtful and hopeful. I think framing conservation and extinction by looking at the last individuals is a impactful way to look and think about conservation.

The Late, Great Englings by Deborah Kerbel and Aimee van Drimmelen greatly touched me. An incredible insight on the animals we have lost due to extinction but presented in a way through art that captivates.

Simple but once read you won't forget. Celia the Last Pyrenaica ibex, George the last Pinta Island Tortoise and Martha the last Passenger Pigeon especially stand out for me.

The book's writing has passages that tug at the heart and the end is very striking listing the animals that we currently could lose due to NEAR extinction.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Orca Book Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this unforgettable book.

Beautiful illustrations and quick, easily digestible stories about the last living creature in a species. Also includes action items for kids at the end