School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2007)

Gr 5 Up-With new discoveries, new theories, new everything in a field once seemingly as set in stone as the fossils themselves, dinosaurian paleontology finds itself in a most unusual state of fluidity. So, when an up-to-date compendium arises from all this new research, it can be a welcome presence. The detailed text can be demanding, but is sometimes even chatty in tone. It covers everything from dinosaur eggs to taxonomy and cladistics to the history of paleontology, glued together with chapters on the dinosaurs themselves. The information is often partnered with sidebars or commentaries by paleontologists working in the field, in museums, and in university labs. The illustrations range from small photos to larger sepia-toned drawings to even larger full-color paintings. Rey has pulled out all the stops with his vision of dino-coloration, but, as no one knows what colors the critters sported, who is to say that Gorgosaurus wasn't the brilliant green of an emerald tree boa? A 48-page "Dinosaur Genus List" is simply slathered with names (many new) and assorted data. Regrettably missing is a bibliography of sources consulted, but the reputations of the sidebar authors, the author, and the illustrator lend credence to this work on "dinosaur science." Less academic than Philip J. Currie and Kevin Padian's well-documented Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs (Academic Press, 1997), more detailed than Paul M. Barrett and J. L. Sanz's National Geographic Dinosaurs (2001), and more informative than David Burnie's The Kingfisher Illustrated Dinosaur Encyclopedia (2001), this eye-catching imagination grabber will be enjoyed (on different levels) by dinophiles of all ages. Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

ALA Booklist

Authored by one of the world's leading paleontologists, this volume delivers a plethora of facts and discoveries about dinosaurs. Despite the fact that it is called an encyclopedia, the volume is arranged in 42 chapters, beginning with a short history of the discovery of dinosaurs. Other chapters cover topics such as fossils and fossilization, geologic time, where to find fossils, and how museum preparators achieve reconstruction with the limited specimens recovered. Explorations of taxonomy, evolution, cladistics, and dinosaur origins precede a thorough examination of each group ratosaurians, Spinisaurs, Carnosaurs, etc., 24 varies in all. Examinations of dinosaur eggs and babies; behavior; life during the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous eras; and dinosaur extinction complete this book. Scattered throughout the book are 33 sidebar articles by leading paleontologists. Illustrations include photographs, graphs, and charts, as well as color artwork, on every page. An appendix ("Dinosaur Genus List") and a glossary of terms conclude the work. Passionate dinosaur lovers will want to read this new title cover to cover, but students doing homework assignments may be overwhelmed. With their encyclopedic arrangement, titles such as Age of the Dinosaurs (Grolier, 2000), Dinosaurus: The Complete Guide to Dinosaurs (Firefly, 2003), and Scholastic Dinosaurs A Z: The Ultimate Dinosaur Encyclopedia (2003) are more accessible as reference tools. Recommended for collections where another resource on dinosaurs is needed, and if you already have dinosaur titles in your reference collection, this is one to circulate.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2007)

Joey is a fine farm horse sold for cavalry use in World War I. Through Joey's Black Beauty-esque narration, readers learn of the futility of cavalry against machine guns; the loss of Joey's companion, Topthorn; and Joey's reunion with the farm boy who loves him. At times deeply affecting, the story balances the horror with moments of respite and care.