School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Benton covers lots of recent revisions in dinosaur theory in this attractive resource. Readers will find clear explanations of the debate over whether dinosaurs were cold or warm-blooded; whether or not they were related to birds (and also mammals and reptiles); and the various hypotheses of what led to their extinction as well as discussions on anatomy, birth and death, eating, hunting, and self-defense. What really makes this book, however, are the vivid full-color drawings at every turn. For example, a small cross section of a dinosaur's stomach shows how swallowed stones called gastroliths helped grind up the creature's food. A double-page illustration of a Tyrannosaurus rex helps explain dinosaur anatomy, while a look at two skulls demonstrates how some dinosaurs made trumpeting noises through extended nose holes. Plenty of attention is given to the step-by-step process of fossil discovery and recovery, from field work to museum assembly. Try the Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals (Macmillan, 1988) for specifics on individual dinosaurs. This book provides quite a spark to fuel the fires of paleontological excitement.-Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 3^-6. For the latest theories on how dinosaurs lived and how they became extinct, this is a handsome introduction to an always fascinating subject. There's amazing detail in this slim volume on the first dinosaur hunters, how dinosaur remains are excavated, and dino anatomy. All of these facts are preceded by a geological time scale. The drawings are big and colorful, using an imaginative array of colors to represent what dinosaur skin might have looked like. The large-print text is easy to read, and the detailed captions accompanying each illustration serve the text well. The meteorite extinction theory makes a big impact as the text explains how scientists have found a giant crater in southern Mexico believed to have been made 65 million years ago. Facts and theories are clearly identified. There's plenty of food for thought here, and readers may be inspired to come up with a few theories of their own. --Denia Hester
