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Review(s)
[Ceratosaurus,
Plateosaurus,
Therizinosaurus]
-"Schomp’s
texts are chatty in tone and, while simplistic, contain enough information to
satisfy novices. Each volume focuses on one dinosaur and draws other
"family" members (with similar features) into the mix. While each
title includes a time line and notations in various data boxes, some readers may
be confused as to when particular creatures existed. The illustrations are
realistic, using bold patterns in eye-catching colors. Each slim volume contains
a "family tree" based on scientific classification (which is
emphasized by color banding) and a rather nice mélange of Web sites. More
advanced than Robin Birch’s
Dinosaur
World
(Chelsea House, 2005),
far less handsome than Daniel Cohen’s "Discovering Dinosaurs"
series (Capstone), and much simpler than Thom Holmes and Laurie Holmes’s
more demanding "Dinosaur Library" (Enslow), these books will assuage
the terrible hunger of dino-devotees."
[Archaeopteryx
and Other Flying Dinosaurs, Kronosaurus and Other Sea Creatures, Stegosaurus and
Other Plate-Backed
Plant-Eaters]
-"Each of these
titles covers a group of prehistoric creatures, with particular emphasis on one
representative dinosaur. Opening with a brief scene in the present tense to
introduce the creature and its world, the books then move into straightforward
information about the animal and its relatives. In Stegosaurus, for example,
only two other stegosaurs (Huayangosaurus and Kentrosaurus) are mentioned within
the main narrative. However, full-page, full-color paintings introduce several
other related species, along with captions and fact boxes that state where and
when the creatures lived, but not necessarily their sizes. The texts are
enthusiastic, with enough information to engage readers without overwhelming
them. In each book, an appended two-page "family tree" gives a general look at
classification. These titles work as effective, simple introductions to
prehistoric animal groups."
"The Prehistoric
world of dinosaurs is one of the most fascinating subjects for children of all
ages. This series is for the younger reader, with colorful illustrations, large
margins, fact boxes, and short, informative chapters. There are enough
depictions of violent dinosaur fights to satisfy the most bloodthirsty reader.
Each book is laid out in four brief chapters, followed by a dinosaur family
tree, glossary, bibliography, and index. Accuracy is assured by the insertion of
phrases attesting to all the different theories about dinosaurs. The text reads
like a popular chapter book, hooking the reader immediately. There is nothing
cut-and-dried here. These volumes will fly off the shelf! Highly
Recommended."
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