From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-This book would be truly amazing-if some of the pictures didn't look so suspiciously familiar. That's because much of the artwork has been recycled from Dougal Dixon's Dinosaurs (Boyds Mills, 1998), which itself was a recycling of the 1993 edition of the same title, with a few updates. The information, too, although sifted and weeded, has many similarities to the previous volume. That said, it is still a worthwhile addition for two reasons: the information is current and the text has been reworked to address a younger audience, which happens to be the age range for which dinosaurs hold the biggest appeal. The book groups dinosaurs by their characteristics; carnivores, for example, are subdivided into groups like "fish-eaters" and "crested killers," so readers must use the index to find individual beasts, like T. rex. The illustrations are still very appealing and up-to-date, so purchase where needed to meet patron demand.
Cathryn A. Camper, formerly at Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Cathryn A. Camper, formerly at Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Dixon has compiled an impressive amount of information and organized it into an eye-catching, manageable format. Using frequently clever subtitles describing each group of dinosaurs, he shares plenty of facts about habits, physical makeup, and special qualities. Each entry highlights something worth discovering. Sometimes diagrams illustrate the digestive or circulatory system; sometimes the pictures depict extraordinary physical characteristics. In every case, Dixon includes a brief paragraph describing the creature and its habitat and "facts and figures" boxes with data about classification, physical features, food sources, and more. The pictures are colorful, detailed, and often exciting. Browsers will have fun flipping through the book, and true dinosaur fans will want to absorb every detail, one page at a time. A "Do You Know?" trivia section and an extensive glossary are appended. Roger Leslie
