How to Keep Dinosaurs [Hardcover]

Robert Mash (Author), Richard Dawkins (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003

(Burst) Now—escaped form the juvenile catalog and running wild with adults!

It’s funny, it’s fun—an irrestible “spoof”!

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, this “dino owner’s manual” amusingly explains what every human must know before adopting a new saurus. Find out what should go into the basic toolkit (a stout shovel is helpful and so are reinforced gauntlets); which species thrive in household life and which will cause BIG problems; and what dinosaurs are just right for circuses and zoos, in security, and for giving eggs and meat. For every dinosaur covered, there’s information on feeding, breeding, housing, and availability; maps of where they lived; details on weight and size; as well as other pertinent facts. The illustrations cleverly mix photography and art to bring humans and dinos together for the first time.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-A highly entertaining satire based on the notion that people keep dinosaurs as pets. The premise is maintained with tongue in cheek from the foreword to closing acknowledgments. In between are more than 50 care guides for various prehistoric reptiles. Starting with easier pets such as "compies" (Compsognathus) and recreational species ("Ornithomimus is a delight to ride-as long you can avoid trotting"), readers learn about the general qualities of each creature as well as feeding, housing, breeding, and availability. Subsequent chapters include flying pets, security dinosaurs, and those suitable for zoos and safari parks, as well as species kept for their eggs, meat, hides, and feathers. DK-style page layouts include inset photos of the dinosaurs, sometimes demonstrating one of their talents, such as the trainable Troodon making toast. Occasional full-page photos are especially funny; one example shows a well-dressed man walking his Nodosaurus with a large shovel prepared for clean up. The physical descriptions relate scientific fact, while the added funny bits often expand on actual characteristics. Mash consistently sticks to his deadpan voice so the frequent jokes stay fresh and unpredictable. Completely new illustrations, a reworked layout, and several new dinosaurs make this is a successful update of the first edition (Viking, 1983; o.p.). Adults might be the most appropriate audience here, given the sophisticated vocabulary and occasional ribald humor. However, older dinosaur aficionados with a taste for irreverence will love it, and it has great potential for booktalking.-Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

'As everyone knows, dinosaurs make great pets, and this is one of the best guides on their care and feeding to date. Robert Mash includes everything the aspiring dinosaur owner needs to know... For those who still aren't sure how to distinguish different dinosaur types, there are vivid pictures of every species with detailed descriptions of their personality and dietary needs. Plus, there are cautions about the most common dinosaur dangers.' FOCUS MAGAZINE (Dec 2003) 'WHICH BOOK WE WILL BE READING COVER TO COVER FOR FUTURE REFERENCE Books? In the Loaded newsletter? Get the hell out of town! No, this particular book is How To Keep Dinosaurs by Robert Mash, a useful guide to, ummm, keeping dinosaurs as pets. It also tells you how to raise them for slaughtering and eating, which sounds more like our kind of thing... To commemorate the release of the book of the year, we are asking you all what your Number One Tip for keeping a Tyrannosaurus Rex is' LOADED magazine email newsletter 'With tongue planted firmly in cheek, this "dino owner's manual" amusingly explains what every human must know before adopting a new saurus... The illustrations cleverly mix photography and art to bring humans and dinos together for the first time, and show the animals in domestic situations. (A Compsognathus in a litter box and a Microvenator peeking hungrily into a refrigerator are particular comic highlights). This is surely the most amusing way to learn about dinosaurs ever.' THE MY JOKE CENTRE BOOKSTORE (website) 'The smart conceit behind Robert Mash's HTKD is that the reader expects to be given a prehistoric reptile for Christmas and needs to know the number of live chickens it has for breakfast... Convincing photographs show these prehistoric reptiles having pillow-fights, using a toaster and making themselves at home around the house. According to the focus group, 12 is a good age to appreciate the droll text.' -- Jonathan Sale FINANCIAL TIMES (29/11/03) 'This extensively illustrated book is a mine of information on dinosaurs and is particularly useful for identifying which dinosaur might be right for you. They can be tricky as domestic pets and it's important to know whether the variety you are considering can or can't be house-trained, what it does to upholstery and whether it might eat your cat.' -- Artemis Cooper THE MAIL ON SUNDAY (7/12/03) 'Whimsically illustrated, this is a rollicking good laugh as well as an excellent source of information on dinosaurs of all kinds.' DISCOVER (Jan 2004)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: WN; Rev Upd edition (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0297843478
• ISBN-13: 978-0297843474
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #615,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Critical information for the dinosaur owner, December 31, 2003

By 

J. N. Mohlman (Barrington, RI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Keep Dinosaurs (Hardcover)

"How to Keep Dinosaurs" is a must have for any dinosaur lover, because as the author clearly points out (using a handy graphical directory) some dinosaurs are good with babies and others eat babies, and knowing the difference is both critical and not easily discerned. Moreover, some dinosaurs are, er..., more openly amorous than is generally considered tasteful, and others pass worrying amounts of gas. Still others require government permits, so it is best to check local laws and regulations.

With tongue planted firmly in cheek Robert Mash has produced a book that is always entertaining, but which is also more informative than he would probably openly admit. "How to Keep Dinosaurs" is broken up into sections such as pets, flying dinosaurs and farmable dinosaurs; one might think of these sections as a cross between the groupings at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and those at a state fair. Within each section Mash then presents a variety of dinosaurs, and cogitates on their relative merits and weaknesses. Each one of these dino bios follows more or less the same approach: a derivation of the creature's name (usually accurately translated, but hilariously misunderstood), a general description of breed characteristics, a synopsis of housing/food requirements, breeding possibilities and finally, where to buy the dinosaur if you are interested. As I alluded to above, each dinosaur also comes with handy quick reference icons for such attributes as "worryingly smart" or "picky eater".

While much of what Mash writes is clever fiction, he has generally tried to be as accurate as possible. For example, the smart dinosaurs are generally carnivores, and information about diet and breeding is vague, but will get specific when supported by the fossil record. Furthermore, dinosaurs are always available for purchase where they have been discovered, so Mongolian and North American breeders are heavily represented. It is obvious that Mash didn't pick his dinosaurs at random, but rather tried to make logical choices for his various categories based upon what is know to science. Finally, Mash works in little bits of paleontology's history with such asides as Iguanadons being successfully raised in coal mines in Germany (they were first discovered in a coal mine in Germany).

All that said, "How to Keep Dinosaurs" wouldn't be the book it is if it not for the superb illustrations. Photo-realistic dinosaurs veritably leap of the page and are frequently shown happily frolicking with their owners.

The illustrations will engage any child, but it would be a mistake to consider this a children's book. The writing is well beyond the abilities of an early reader, and the humor, while by no means offensive, is aimed squarely at adults. So, if you are an adult who has never outgrown your fascination with dinosaurs, and who still whimsically ponders how cool it would be to have your own, this is well written and beautifully illustrated book is a must read.

Enjoy!

Jake Mohlman

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious...and informative, February 13, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Keep Dinosaurs (Hardcover)

This book is saving my sanity. Our five-year-old has been obsessed with dinosaurs for so long that we've read pretty much everything you can get your hands on about the beasts. This refreshing and extensive manual has us laughing while reading it out loud over and over again. Our son loves the handy symbol key, which allows him to look up critical traits on each dinosaur, such as which ones "like children," or "like to eat children," or are, alas, "worryingly stupid." He's got it all figured out now, which ones we should get. The photos are great.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creative amalgam of science and imagination, February 4, 2004

By 

Greg Wadsworth (Roxboro, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Keep Dinosaurs (Hardcover)

The book is a humerous mix of pseudo-field guide and dinosaur reference. It's funny and creative with excellent illustrations and imaginative "pictures" of humans interacting with their pet dinosaurs. The Amazon price is too low for this hard back book that would make a great gift for folks interested in dinosaurs and/or just like to laugh. Don't miss this one. I'm buying more to give away to friends and family.