The Day the Dinosaurs Died (I Can Read Book 2) [Paperback]

Charlotte Lewis Brown (Author), Phil Wilson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: I Can Read Book 2

A compelling account of how the impact of a giant asteroid may have killed the Earth’s dinosaurs.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–Beginning with a pronunciation guide for the names of various dinosaurs, this book describes what probably happened to those reptiles 65 million years ago, when a comet or an asteroid most likely slammed into the Earth in the area of the Yucatán Peninsula. Rather than delivering a strict factual narrative, Brown focuses on some individual creatures, bringing readers closer to the scene. She tells how the dinosaurs would have been feeding and then suddenly destroyed by heat, falling rock, or tidal waves during the day of impact. Those not immediately killed would have starved following the death of their prey or plant foods. The book ends with the rise of small mammals that had hidden underground, escaping the dinosaurs' fate. Second graders will be able to read this book independently, and with its expressive, fairly naturalistic illustrations, younger children will find that it answers the question of how the dinosaurs became extinct. An author's note provides additional material.–Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Paleontologist Charlotte Lewis Brown writes about science for children and adults. Dr. Brown lives in Seattle, Washington.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (June 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060005300
• ISBN-13: 978-0060005306
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #844,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Need to think a lot about your child's developmental stage, January 5, 2011

By 

TY Smith "Sam I Am and family" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Day the Dinosaurs Died (I Can Read Book 2) (Paperback)

I will take a middle of the road review. I would offer this piece of advice, the appropriateness of this book would depend on how well your child understands death, suffering of animals and can separate themselves from the plot of a book.

I agree with the reviews that say the pictures are not really scary or gratuitous. But here are some of the more "intense" excerpts from the book:

"Pterandons were blown from the sky. Their bodies burned away to nothing"

"Many dinosaues died in the flames, others choked on the thick smoke."

"One by one they began to die. Soon there was only one left. Then she too starved away"

So obviously not bedtime story fare. Probably fine for school age kids in the right setting, but probably too much if you are buying the books to read to your younger kids.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Day the Dinosaurs Died, June 4, 2008

By 

Shae L. Leonard - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Day the Dinosaurs Died (I Can Read Book 2) (Paperback)

Scientists/Paleontologists have offered several theories explaining the extinction of the dinosaurs. Author Charlotte Lewis Brown provides the reader with a look at the demise of individual dinosaurs after a meteor or asteroid crashed to Earth 65 million years ago. My students (ages 6-8 years old) were fascinated by the "closer view" of the catastrophe as opposed to a more general presentation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good high interest book for new readers, April 14, 2008

By 

anonymous - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Day the Dinosaurs Died (I Can Read Book 2) (Paperback)

This is my four year old daughters favorite book. I appreciate the subtle retro cover and title. It does talk about animals dying and extinction, but the pictures are not particularly grotesque and there is nothing I would consider gratuitous. I mean that's what dinosaurs do (did), the meat eaters anyway, just like all carnivorous wild animals, they didn't eat at McDonalds. I guess I can understand the previous reviewers opinion if this is her first non-cartoony book about dinosaurs. But really, it's just a couple mild pictures of t-rex eating an (already dead) edmontosaurus just before the asteroid hits. In any case, we love it and think it's an excellent book with great illustations. Sure to peek a youngsters interest in science!