The Dinosaur Atlas [Hardcover]

Don Lessem (Author), John Bindon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

A complete look at the world of dinosaurs.

Don Lessem, renowned dinosaur expert, award-winning children's author, and advisor to the creators of Jurassic Park, offers a lively and informative, guide to dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs ruled the world for 150 million years. During that time, the world changed from a single warm supercontinent into the familiar continents that resemble modern Earth. The dinosaurs themselves also changed to adapt to these dramatic changes. This book is organized by the vast periods dominated by the dinosaurs: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. Fifty-four dinosaurs are featured against the backdrop of where they lived to give a better understanding of their distribution and evolution. Information tables for 25 dinosaurs provide details such as translation of name, group, size, diet, and a concise profile.

Brief overviews of the world before and after dinosaurs are included as well. The Dinosaur Atlas also discussed various theories for their mass extinction and why their descendents may still live in the form of birds. Featuring color maps, dramatic illustrations, and humorous sidebars, this book takes a unique, geographical approach to a timeless subject.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-This chronological overview is built around a series of spreads that take readers from the Late Triassic period through the Late Cretaceous, when the last known dinosaurs died out. Each spread features a few paragraphs describing dinosaur life in a specific area during the time period. The text is lively and enlightening, focusing on especially interesting examples rather than vague generalizations. Lessem shares insights about fossil discoveries, along with species details and geography, in a smooth, enthusiastic voice. "Dino Don Says" sections offer intriguing tidbits and fact boxes highlight particular species. All are shown by number on the various maps, while small silhouettes show relative size. When the map views are especially close up, though, it is not immediately obvious what region is being pictured. The text is accurate and up-to-date, although seed-bearing cycads are mistakenly described as "another spore-making plant." A bar at the top of each spread highlights the relevant era. The many illustrations of dinosaurs are clear and well varied, but their placement on the page sometimes makes the maps harder to decipher. The author himself appears in several photographs, dressed for dinosaur hunting, in a lighthearted touch that may amuse some and annoy others. Though not every part of this book works perfectly, it presents enough information to grab the interest of dinophiles.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The Dinosaur Atlas is different from the usual dinosaur book and should be in most school and public library collections. It is written by Lessem, an acknowledged expert on dinosaurs and famous to kids for his work on the Jurassic Park movies. The atlas is divided into the three major eras of the dinosaurs. At the beginning of each section is a world map with locations of the different dinosaur finds from that period. The text explains the types of dinosaurs found and the environment of the period. Specific dinosaurs are profiled. The pages that follow focus on the finds on different continents. On each two-page spread is a small globe showing the positions of the continents during that period, a time line of the period, and a sidebar labeled "Dino Don Says," with tidbits of explanation about dinosaurs or paleontology. Back matter includes addresses for active dinosaur digs that students can go to as well as Internet sites for virtual experiences. The illustrations are excellent, although they often cover parts of the maps, which might be confusing to younger readers. Kids will love the details in the Dino Don sidebars. The text is good but brief; the value of the book is in the graphic material. Compares favorably to Scholastic Dinosaurs A to Z [RBB D 15 03] and Dinosaurus: The Complete Guide to Dinosaurs [RBB Mr 1 04]. All three books describe the work of paleontologists and the excitement of discovery. Depending on the popularity of the subject in a particular community, all three should be purchased. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (September 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552978303
• ISBN-13: 978-1552978306
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,453,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Dinosaur Atlas, August 14, 2004

By 

Joe Zika "Khemprof" (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Dinosaur Atlas (Hardcover)

"The Dinosaur Atlas" written by Don Lessem and illlustrated by John Bindon is a very good book for the novice and young readers (ages 8 to 12) just starting to read about dinosaurs. As this book takes the reader on an adventure through the Late Triassic through the Cretaceous Period.

I found that "The Dinosaur Atlas" to be well-appointed with 25 charts as to where the dinosaurs that are being excavated today are found. I hope that you'll find this book as interesting as I did as there are illustrations as to the relative size some of the dinosaur comparitive to humans.

"The Dinosaur Atlas" comes repleat with a world of information about dinosaurs, from books and videos to museums and dig programs in the back of the book that you can participate in. These are very helpful to keep a young mind interested in where to find dinosaurs. So, check out the cool books, videos, dig sites and museums. There is a glossary in the back of the book to help the young reader, as scientists often describe the world of dinosaurs by using hard to understand and pronounce terms this book helps in the definitions of these terms. And, of course, there is a very good index to this book to help the young reading in locating the dinosaur for the reader.

"The Dinosaur Atlas" is a solid 5 star book for the young reader and will pique their interest in dinosaurs and hold their interest throughout the book. This is a very good book for ages 8 through 12.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating and informative survey of dinosaurs, December 14, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dinosaur Atlas (Hardcover)

Dinosaur Atlas is a fascinating and informative survey of dinosaurs which will appeal to any young reader interested in an easy atlas with over 25 full-color maps concentrating on the range and distribution of dinosaurs and their environments. John Bindon's illustrations are realistic, fun accompaniments to the geographic foundations of this appealing atlas.