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 Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Reviewed with Samantha Gray's Ocean.Gr. 3-5. The publisher's traditional format morphs into something a little bit different here. These books in the new Eye Wonder series are smaller, but the images remain pretty much the same. What's more, the publisher's recommended age level (ages five through eight) holds true only if an adult is reading the text aloud. Dinosaur uses model figures to introduce the creatures, with snippets of information surrounding the images. Among the topics covered are movement, hunting, nest and nurseries, and theories about the death of dinosaurs. Ocean uses a scattershot approach and covers a wide-range of subjects: sea creatures, coral reefs, and underwater exploration. The pictures in Ocean are clearer than those in Dinosaur, but both books provide facts that will spark kids' interest. Still, libraries already having a full complement of books in the publisher's signature style may not feel the need to add these.

In a crowded layout, basic facts about dinosaurs are paired with color photographs of models. The brief, though surprisingly repetitive text touches on topics such as size, feeding habits, camouflage, and mating. The illustrations are sometimes poorly designed, making it difficult to see the dinosaurs displayed against similarly colored backgrounds. Glos., ind.