School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--Dramatic illustrations and a simple, direct narrative introduce a few of the dinosaurs that once roamed the earth. Meat-eating and plant-eating species are represented, both large and small, with a brief description of their physical characteristics. The meaning of scientific names and phonetic pronunciations within the text are helpful, and the work and findings of paleontologists are explained. Some recent theories regarding parenting behavior, hunting, and defense techniques are included. Heyer's illustrations create a feeling of another age. Dinosaurs are shown against somber natural backgrounds, similar to those found in Patricia Lauber's The News About Dinosaurs (Bradbury, 1989). These dark scenes allow a variety of colors and patterns of the dinosaurs' skin to stand out, reflecting the viewpoint that their coloration may have been similar to that of present-day reptiles. Closeups of a few creatures are provided, with an especially fierce Tyrannosaurus. The captions are inconsistent; some dinosaurs are clearly labeled while others are mentioned only in the text. There is no index, but the open format and large-print text is for pleasure reading rather than for reports. Seymour Simon's New Questions & Answers About Dinosaurs (Morrow, 1990), Lauber's book, and many other sources have more comprehensive information for those wanting to delve further into this ever-popular subject.--Diane Nunn, Richard E. Byrd Elementary School, Glen Rock, NJ

Kirkus Reviews

A book about dinosaurs, from a science writer (Batman, 1991 etc.) with a strong track record, who here may have misjudged his audience. The picture book format will turn away grade-schoolers old enough to grasp such complicated concepts as fossils, which are introduced but not fully explained. The writing is skillfully on target, if a bit formal, for younger dinophiles. They will find the full-color, detailed illustrations convincingly scaly and realistically ugly; especially good is Heyer's pachyrhinosaurus with its swirling multihued skin. It illustrates Pringle's comment that fossils teach nothing about the colors of dinosaurs, nor about the sounds they made. (Nonfiction. 4+)"

ALA Booklist (Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 1995)

The striking jacket illustration of Tyrannosaurus will draw children to this dinosaur book. In a brief but balanced presentation, Pringle introduces 11 dinosaurs and points out a few basic facts. For instance, contrary to our stereotypes of the creatures, most dinosaurs were plant eaters. Also, although most artists picture stegosaurs with plates sticking out from their backs like fins, no one knows where or how the stegosaur's bony plates fit onto its body. The illustrations, captioned only to identify types of dinosaurs, occasionally seem somewhat detached from the text. In one painting, a paleontologist slathers white stuff on a large fossil, presumably to protect it or to make a cast, but neither text nor caption mentions what's happening in the picture. Still, the colorful acrylic paintings offer eye-catching views of dinosaur days and intriguing illustrations of paleontologists at work. For larger dino collections. (Reviewed Mar. 15, 1995)

Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1995)

Dramatic action scenes in bright colors highlight this treatment of everyone's favorite extinct animals. The dinosaurs are portrayed realistically, but the paintings show an artificial world of violet skies, violent thunderstorms, and volcanic catastrophes. Information on pronunciation is provided, along with details on size, diet, and habitat, plus speculation on colors and vocalizations.