What kind of parent was Tyrannosaurus rex? Were theropods more like birds or crocodiles? Was Oviraptor an egg thief or a protective parent? Older dinosaur readers will delight in this up-to-date exploration of scientists’ changing ideas about dinosaurs and how they raised their young. The author recreates scenes of dinosaur families—Oviraptor, Maiasaura, Troodon, and Tyrannosaurus rex—and the lavish illustrations help to make it clear. Zoehfeld then carefully documents the discoveries and evidence of paleontologists that supports the changing theories about how dinosaurs lived and raised their families. Her lively presentation challenges the reader and presents science as an exciting, unfolding mystery with many clues still unsolved. There are full-color photographs of working paleontologists and stunning photographs of dinosaur eggs, bones, and embryos. Coverage is from the Gobi Desert expedition of 1923, which first discovered dinosaur eggs, to findings in Patagonia in 1998 of tiny embryonic titanosaurs. And the author notes: “As for tyrannosaurs, stegosaurs, and the hundreds of other types of dinosaurs, the clues that will shed light on their secret lives are still out there in the rocks, waiting to be found.” Fascinating. (suggested reading, glossary, dinosaur dictionary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)
