Dinosaur Mummies: Beyond Bare-Bone Fossils [Hardcover]

Kelly Milner Halls (Author), Rick Spears (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Carolrhoda Photo Books

Fossilized dinosaur bones have intrigued us for hundreds of years. They help us understand how dinosaurs died millions of years ago. But a new trend in fossil finds is helping us discover how dinosaurs lived -- fossilized soft tissue: skin, muscle, internal organs, feathers, decorative frills. DINOSAUR MUMMIES explores six dinosaur individuals discovered with soft tissue fossilized along with their bones though interviews with the paleontologists who found them. It takes a fresh look at a long beloved topic -- dinosaurs of earth's prehistoric past.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Recent discoveries of mummified, fossilized soft tissue have given scientists important new information about dinosaurs. The author begins by explaining the process of fossilization, noting the wide difference between the mineralized mummies that paleontologists study and intentionally preserved specimens like Egyptian mummies. Then she gives the background, details, and implications of six key discoveries, starting with the Sternberg Edmontosaurus in the early 1900s. The other examples all date from the past 10 years, culminating with the 2000 discovery of Leonardo, the most complete mummified dinosaur found so far. A bit of information about each scientist is provided, along with comments from most of them about their work, so readers get a feel for the dedication and enthusiasm of these groundbreaking paleontologists. These discoveries are not only rare; they also have significant impact on our understanding of dinosaurs. The fossilized Sinosauropteryx, for example, helped confirm the existence of feathered dinosaurs, while a 66-million-year-old preserved heart supports theories of warm-blooded dinosaurs. Each discovery is introduced in a clear and lively style, so youngsters can follow the text without becoming overwhelmed by names, dates, or scientific terms. The layout is inviting, with good use of white space and many full-color photographs and drawings showing dinosaurs, fossils, and the scientists themselves. A brief "paleo-notebook" offers details on 10 other key dinosaur mummies. The current data and intriguing focus should make this a popular and valuable addition to dinosaur shelves.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 4-6. Halls begins with a personal account of her lifelong fascination with lizards and dinosaurs and her excitement upon learning about mummified dinosaur fossils. Though bones are the most common dinosaur fossils, occasionally soft tissue such as skin and muscles became fossilized. These are referred to as mummies. After clearly explaining the fossilization process, the book spotlights six significant dinosaur mummies, from the 1908 discoveries of an Edmontosaurus skeleton wrapped in its skin to the 2000 find of Leonardo, a Brachylophosaurus fossil with skin, bones, muscles, internal organs, stomach contents, and a neck pouch. Halls' enthusiasm shines through in this well-researched and clearly written book. Sidebars carry information about people mentioned or quoted as well as information about various terms. Drawings washed with color show how the dinosaurs might have looked, while many excellent color photos illustrate the fossilized finds, and dinosaur diggers and paleontologists at work. Appendixes include a glossary, lists of sources, including many personal interviews and correspondence with paleontologists, fully annotated lists of recommended children's books, videos, and Internet sites on dinosaurs as well as a list of museums offering dinosaur digs. Solid information with a personal touch. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Darby Creek Publishing (August 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158196000X
• ISBN-13: 978-1581960006
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,944,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For the past 15 years, Kelly Milner Halls has crafted high interest nonfiction books and articles for young readers. Known for quirky but well researched topics, Halls delights in drawing even reluctant readers into the realm of discovery through the explorations of dinosaurs, Sasquatch, UFO's or dozens of other unusual themes. She makes her home in Spokane, WA with two daughters, one Pug, too many cats and a 4 foot iguana named Gigantor. She speaks at schools and conferences all over the country. Halls also works as YA novelist Chris Crutcher's assistant.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elaine Landau, September 29, 2003

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Elaine Landau (Miami, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dinosaur Mummies: Beyond Bare-Bone Fossils (Hardcover)

A terrific dinosaur book that any young child would love. The obviously gifted author combines a fascinating text with fabulous illustration. This book is a favorite of mine and my 10 year-old son.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Dinosaur Book, September 28, 2003

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Cassandra "Cassandra" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dinosaur Mummies: Beyond Bare-Bone Fossils (Hardcover)

As an elementary school teacher, I've spent years teaching 10-12 year olds about dinosaurs. Milner's Dinosaur Mummies is one of the best books that I've seen for this age group. She's packed in fascinating and current information into a friendly format. The text is written beautifully. It's easy enough for most or these kids to read indepently, while engaging the interest of the most experienced reader.

And the pictures!!! The artwork for this book is worth the price alone.

This is an excellent resource and should be a part of every dinosaur lover's library!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for young (and not so young) dinosaur lovers, December 13, 2007

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got2Breading "pendorabooks" (OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dinosaur Mummies: Beyond Bare-Bone Fossils (Hardcover)

Who knew you could pack so much amazing information into 48 pages? There are lots of mummified dinosaurs in this book, including Ciro (a.k.a. Skippy), Willo, Leonardo, and others. The book also introduces some famous dinosaur hunters: Roy Chapman Andrews, Charles Sternberg, Barnum Brown, Luis Chiappe, Dale Russell, Jack Horner, and many more. Lots of photos and full-color illustrations make this a kid's have-to-have holiday gift, available in both hardcover and paperback (for only $7.95!). ISBN 9781581960341