ALA Booklist (Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

This large-format book spotlights 13 dinosaurs on colorfully illustrated double-page spreads. Interspersed are seven spreads that offer 27 related activities, such as testing the usefulness of binocular vision or making a model of "mummified" hadrosaur skin. Each of the pages looking at specific dinosaurs, presented alphabetically from apatosaurus to Tyrannosaurus rex, features a large landscape painting showing the animals in action, one or two paragraphs of information, and smaller illustrations (such as drawings of bones and photos of fossils) with detailed captions. Schmidt's acrylic paintings offer soft-edged visions of animals in action, and the nicely shaded smaller illustrations of bones look quite precise. Set off visually by their white backgrounds, smaller type, and small photos, the pages of activities engage children in exploring dinosaur-related ideas using readily available materials. Small photos provide helpful glimpses of the materials and processes involved. A paleontologist, McGowan writes clearly and, in the activities, relates many areas of science to the understanding of dinosaurs.

Horn Book

Profiles of major dinosaur species are presented in field guidelike format. Details include vital statistics, history, and colorful artistic interpretations of both what the animals may have looked like and of their fossil remains; captioned labels point out specific important features. Creative home experiments encourage readers to explore meaningful scientific concepts such as fossil formation and dinosaur physiology. Glos., ind.

Kirkus Reviews

In-depth facts about 13 dinosaurs are interspersed with activities that teach readers about anatomy and how paleontologists understand body structure.  Gearing his text to older dinosaur lovers, McGowan assumes prior knowledge and leaves out many explanatory details, such as a prehistoric timeline, map and definitions of the different types of dinosaurs. But for enthusiasts who can grasp the advanced vocabulary and concepts, this is a great resource for learning more about both dinosaurs and anatomy in general. The 27 activities and experiments illustrate the concepts presented and focus on the featured dinosaurs. By following the well-written directions as well as the picture steps, budding paleontologists will explore how a tail affects balance, discover binocular vision and learn how the two parts of a bone make them both stiff and elastic. While most use common household materials, there are some interesting ones that require supplies such as plaster of Paris and a long length of board. Schmidt's detailed acrylic illustrations give life to the dinosaurs, and her scientific renderings of bones could have come straight out of an anatomy textbook. The spreads are also interspersed with photos, showing readers real fossil remains. A thinking, active alternative for readers who fall between adult nonfiction and all the rhyming dino fare meant for the younger set. (Nonfiction. 10-14)

School Library Journal (Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Gr 4-6 A baker's dozen of prehistoric critters gets full spreads with large realistic illustrations, fact boxes, captions, species data, and an informative paragraph or two. Potentially unfamiliar terms are highlighted in bold type and defined in the glossary. The usual suspects ( Allosaurus, T. rex , etc.) are represented, as is a new kid on the block ( Sinosauropteryx ) and some interesting neighborhood folk ( Pteranodon, Ichthyosaurus , etc.). While many dinophiles will simply dine happily on these eye-catching pages, others will focus on the variety of experiments. Using mostly materials that might be on hand or readily available in building supply centers, the activities ask readers to check chicken bones for strength, discover the physics behind armored tails, record the insulating capabilities of feathers, and make fake fossils, among other things. The photos on these pages give the impression that the activities are simple, but a caveat (buried on the second page along with the CIP) states they are designed to be performed with the "help and supervision of a parent or other adult." This maximally unobtrusive location means it will never be noticed by eager experimenters, and will lead to some frustration. No mention is made of proper disposal of items like leftover glue and plaster of Paris, and there are no diagrams for some terms in the glossary (zygapophyses, for example.) Take a second look at Peter Larson and Kristin Donnan's Bones Rock! (Invisible Cities, 2004) but remember, this will be a book that gathers little dust. Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY