From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-Each of these titles looks at a broad group of prehistoric reptiles over the course of the Mesozoic Era. Two-page spreads feature one large-print paragraph with an overview of a topic such as "Eggs & Nests" or "The Earliest Pterosaur." Several illustrations fill the spreads, each accompanied by a paragraph of text in smaller print. Subtopics include fossils, physical characteristics, related modern species, curious facts, and more. This familiar format works better for browsing than for continuous reading, but the chronological presentation provides some narrative continuity. A time line at the bottom of each spread places the creature under discussion in its proper period within the Mesozoic Era but only Carnivores provides a brief written overview of different periods. Illustrations are laid out neatly enough to avoid overcrowding; however, the gutter detracts from several of them. Dixon's writing is occasionally hard to follow as in a confusing paragraph in Herbivores that attempts to clarify the difference between sauropods and ornithopods. In the Sky does not explain that pterosaurs and other flying reptiles were not actually dinosaurs, a significant omission in a series entitled "Dinosaurs." Despite some flaws in text and illustration, there is still plenty of useful information presented in a fairly appealing format.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
