Foremost thanks to my editor, Peter Hubbard, for his guidance and encouragement, especially by pointing the way to the medieval bestiary.
Much gratitude to artist Christopher David Reyes (aka Atolm) for his precise drawings and knowledge of prehistoric beasts and creatures of mythology. Very special thanks to artist Jesse Peterson for his incredible immersion in this project; he spent countless hours creating nuanced art, collages, and original visual designs support with my text. Gratitude, as always, to literary agent Frank Weimann, and to his attentive staff. Also, much thanks to the experts who answered my questions about animal specifics and to the helpful, patient, and kind zoologists and staff at the Staten Island Zoo, Staten Island, New York, and at Zoo Miami, Miami, Florida.