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ORNITHOMIMUS

PURSUING THE BIRD-MIMIC DINOSAUR

Imagine Tyrannosaurus rex with feathers—only one of the surprising theories put forth in this title by the author of Albertosaurus: Death of a Predator also part of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Alberta, Canada, “Discoveries of Palaeontology” series. Here, Keiran focuses on the 1995 discovery of a rare fossil ornithomimid, one of the small toothless theropod dinosaurs that resembles an ostrich and may have a common ancestor with modern birds. She recounts the excavation of the fossil step-by-step with many full-color photographs of the scientists at work. She describes new tools palaeontologists use to make sense of the past, for example digital scan, computerized tomography in which repeated scans are used to reconstruct fossils in three dimensions. She gives some of the latest scientific theories about the evolution of birds, stating: “It is believed that feathers evolved from dinosaur scales before the appearance of tyrannosaurs and bird-mimic dinosaurs, making it possible that Tyrannosaurus and the Ornithomimus had their own coverings of feathers.” Interspersed with the more straightforward text, she provides “Bird-Mimic Chronicles” the story of the life of a particular Ornithomimus from hatching to adulthood, mating, raising a family, and eventual death. The text of this dinosaur title is challenging and less able readers may have difficulty keeping the various themes apart, but those who persist will be rewarded. Includes a glossary, timeline of reptiles, and a “Meet the Scientist” section. Current and intriguing. (Nonfiction. 10+)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002

ISBN: 1-55192-348-3

Page Count: 64

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2002

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WEATHER

Remarking that ``nothing about the weather is very simple,'' Simon goes on to describe how the sun, atmosphere, earth's rotation, ground cover, altitude, pollution, and other factors influence it; briefly, he also tells how weather balloons gather information. Even for this outstanding author, it's a tough, complex topic, and he's not entirely successful in simplifying it; moreover, the import of the striking uncaptioned color photos here isn't always clear. One passage—``Cumulus clouds sometimes build up into towering masses called cumulus congestus, or swelling cumulus, which may turn into cumulonimbus clouds''—is superimposed on a blue-gray, cloud-covered landscape. But which kind of clouds are these? Another photo, in blue-black and white, shows what might be precipitation in the upper atmosphere, or rain falling on a darkened landscape, or...? Generally competent and certainly attractive, but not Simon's best. (Nonfiction. 10-12)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1993

ISBN: 0-688-10546-7

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1993

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MUSIC FOR TIGERS

A beautiful conservation story told in a rich setting and peopled with memorable characters.

Unlike the rest of her nature-obsessed family, Louisa wants to be a musician, not a biologist.

But when Louisa’s mother finds out that the Australian government is about to destroy the Tasmanian rainforest camp their family has managed for decades, she insists that Louisa leave Toronto and spend the summer on the strange, small island with her even stranger uncle Ruff. But when Uncle Ruff gives Louisa a copy of her great-grandmother’s journal, Louisa becomes fascinated with her family’s history of secretly protecting endangered species, including the mysterious Tasmanian tiger, widely regarded as extinct. With the help of her new friend and neighbor Colin—a boy who has autism spectrum disorder—Louisa deepens her connection with her family’s land, with history, and with her love of music. Kadarusman masterfully creates a lush, magical world where issues associated with conservation, neurodiversity, and history intersect in surprising and authentic ways. The book’s small cast of characters (principals seem all White) is well drawn and endearing. Crucially, the author acknowledges the original, Indigenous inhabitants of the land as experts, something rarely seen in books about environmental degradation. Louisa’s narratorial voice strikes the right balance of curiosity, timidity, and growing confidence, and her character’s transformation feels both incredibly natural and incredibly rewarding to behold.

A beautiful conservation story told in a rich setting and peopled with memorable characters. (Fiction. 10-14)

Pub Date: April 28, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-77278-054-3

Page Count: 192

Publisher: Pajama Press

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020

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