DINOSAURS ROAR, BUTTERFLIES SOAR!
by Bob Barner
Barner goes prehistoric once again (Dinosaur Bones, 2001), but this time he pairs gigantic beasts with the tiniest of companions—butterflies. Millions of years ago butterflies helped to pollinate plants, which in turn increased the dinosaurs’ food supply and enriched the air with oxygen. The author tells this scientific story on two levels: Simple details appear in large, prominent type, while smaller, additional information reaches out to older readers, making it one of those “works on two levels” books that really does work. The attempt to explain extinction—a fate that butterflies luckily escaped—flirts with oversimplification, but the bright, fiery asteroid crashing across the page will be popular with children (flaming rock never fails to captivate). Vibrant paper collage in highly saturated colors and playful perspectives add texture and layers to this unlikely symbiotic duo. The text reminds readers at the end that “the next time you see a fluttering butterfly or smell a flower...millions of years ago a T. rex may have done the same.” Dino fanatics will revel in the personal connection. (timeline, appended facts) (Informational picture book. 4-8)