December 1, 2014
Grades 5-8 Geared toward an older readership than Woodward's Everything You Need to Know about Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Creatures (2014), this expansive, color-visual-laden volume explores various dinosaurs and other beasts of the Mesozoic to Cenozoic eras. Following an introductory overview of dinosaurs, sections are divided into chronological time periods, starting with Triassic. Each features a map and period-specific information on environment, climate, and animal and plant life. Commentary, scientific facts, and hypotheses are interspersed throughout. Page-dominating CGI/digital creature renderings range from photorealistic, dramatic depictions to occasionally cartoonish illustrations. A concluding Dinosaur Science section further looks at fossils; their excavation and restoration; historic fossil-hunters; recent research methods; dinosaur biology, evolution, and extinction; and modern-day relatives, like birds. The information is not always easily accessiblelayouts can be cluttered with cutlines, sidebars, and scattered info-snippets in small type, and the book lacks pronunciations. However, for those budding paleontologists and dinosaur fans willing to dig a little, there's a wealth of material on this ever-evolving subject.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)