THE NEWS ABOUT DINOSAURS

by Patricia Lauber ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1989

If you have trouble distinguishing your Barosaurus from your Baryonyx, steer clear; but dedicated dinosaur enthusiasts will relish this colorful look at the wealth of new information concerning dinosaurs. The author debunks old theories of dinosaurs as slow, clumsy, solitary, land-dwelling, colorless, and coldblooded. Four new dinosaurs are introduced: one found by a plumber in London, one in China, one in a museum, one in Montana. It turns out that there was never a Brontosaurus--the name was applied to the head of Camarasaurus mistakenly combined with the body of Apatosaurus in a museum (just the heads of these are illustrated; they are not shown mounted on their appropriate bodies). Several excellent artists have provided the vivid illustrative paintings; some are full of action: a herd of Triceratops defending their young from attacking Tyrannosaumses, a group of Diplodocuses fighting off a pack of Allosauruses with their whiplike tails. Much of this material would have been more informative if it had been less abbreviated, or if additional facts had been included in an appendix: one longs to know more about where, when, and vital statistics. Still, a valuable update in inviting format. Pronunciation guide; index.

Pub Date: March 1, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Bradbury

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1989

Categories: CHILDREN'S