The Thylacine and the Time Machine

I was nine years old when the movie Jurassic Park was released and along with it came a flurry of media about bringing extinct creatures back to life. At the time, I excitedly believed that by 2025 woolly mammoths would be back roaming the earth. The Thylacine and the Time Machine provided me with a few answers about why that hasn’t happened, and why bringing woolly mammoths back might not be the best idea anyway.

Focusing on the thylacine and using real research being done at Melbourne University’s TIGRR lab, this graphic novel takes, loosely, the A Christmas Carol approach: a young student, her dog and a ghost Thylacine visit the past, present and future to better understand what happened to the Thylacine, why it happened, and what should happen next. The book does an excellent job of exploring and explaining all the thorny ethical and practical issues involved in bringing extinct creatures back to life. It also provides suggestions on how we might move forward.

There are of course many books being published for young readers on subjects including extinction, climate and environmental damage, but being mindful that young readers are experiencing extraordinarily high levels of uncertainty and anxiety, high-quality books like this that offer up-to-date information and practical, positive ideas for action are the best of the bunch. For ages 9+.