From Publishers Weekly
aul Barrett's National Geographic Dinosaurs, illus. by Raul Mart¡n, catalogues more than 50 of the "terrible lizards." A "time bar" running along the outside of the page indicates the period for each particular dinosaur; a "Fact File" provides the animal's genus, classification, weight and measurements; and a graph compares the dino's size to humans. Other sections focus on the Mesozoic through the Cretaceous period, paleontology and dinosaur behavior. Over 300 full-color photographs and 90 photorealistic illustrations add dimension.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Gr 5-9-This overview includes nearly 200 pages of well-organized, attractively presented information. The opening chapters offer a chronology of the age of dinosaurs, a brief history of key discoveries, and lots of information about the creatures' habits and characteristics in general. The heart of the book is the 50 or so profiles of individual dinosaur genera, divided into the two major groups (bird-hipped and lizard-hipped). Each one includes size, location, and era, as well as basic information and intriguing facts. While not a comprehensive dictionary of species, the entries offer a wealth of information. The attractive layout makes this a good resource for both browsing and for more in-depth research. The uncluttered "profiles" feature one main illustration of the dinosaur, along with a few smaller captioned illustrations. A time line, fact file, and map for each species appears consistently on the edge of the page. Interspersed among the introductory chapters and profiles are over a dozen dramatic, full-page and two-page scenes, vividly capturing selected species in action. Several recent discoveries are mentioned, and current theories are clearly distinguished from accepted fact in such areas as classification, evolutionary factors, and behaviors. Though not quite as visually exciting as David Lambert's DK Guide to Dinosaurs (DK, 2000) or as comprehensive as Douglas Dixon's The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures (S & S, 2001), this title fills a need for reference materials for older students.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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