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YOU
think, too!
We are way, awesomely pleased
to welcome
Kelly Milner Halls (author of Dino-Trekking - The
Ultimate Dinosaur Lover's Travel Guide as our prima Reviewerina!
She also writes for America Online's KIDS READS and many newspapers. Unfortunately,
she does not have long sharp teeth. The cute little KMH you see are her
initials, okay?
1998
| Picture Books | Ages 10 and Up | Toddler Books |
Supergiants!
The Biggest Dinosaurs
by
Don Lessem
Illustrated
by David Peters
(Little
Brown, $14.95)
ISBN:
0316521183
Ages
32
Pages
This
richly illustrated picture book explores the mysterious qualities of
sauropods
--- long necked, four legged dinosaurs who first roamed the planet more
than 220 million years ago. He not only describes the life and times
of old
favorites
like Diplodocus, but more recently discovered super-sized mega-beasts
like Argentinosaurus.
Nine
different sauropods are featured, along with paleo history (like the
turn-of-the-century
"bone wars" --- a race to see who could collect the most varied collection
of fossilized species) and predictions (could there bigger giants yet to
be discovered?).
"Scientists
have known for many years that the biggest animal ever is a
giant
still living --- the blue whale, which is more than one hundred feet long
and can weigh as much as 150 tons," Lessem writes in his introduction.
"But the largest dinosaurs were the biggest land animals ever. By
biggest, researchers mean not the longest, but rather the one that weighed
the most. So what
dinosaur
was the biggest?"
Dinosaur
Bob and his Adventures with the Family Lazardo
Each
year, Dr. Lazardo gathers up his family, loads up the sedan and sets
out
on a cross country adventure. As Joyce himself puts it, "The Lazardos
zipped about from one spot on the glob to another." And each year,
they came home with some remarkable Lazardo treasure.
But
the mayor's jealous wife, Mrs. DeGlumly didn't like or appreciate the
Lazardo
spirit. Especially when they stumbled upon prehistoric throw-back,
Dinosaur
Bob --- their big green friend who chases cars and plays baseball, once
he's shipped back to the states.
Dinosaur
Bob and his Adventures with the Family Lazardo brings to life
everydinosaur
crazed child's fantasy of finding a friendly beast of his own, and
bringing
it home for supper. But it brings it to life in Joyce's distinctive
way.
Anyone lucky enough to stumble upon the quirky fun of William Joyce
will
be terribly glad they did. KMH
Dinosaur
Roar
The
Sticklands --- a married couple and artistic team --- make powerful
dinosaur
fun via brightly colored, tongue-in-cheek dino illustrations and rib ticklingtext
like, "Dinosaur roar, dinosaur squeak, dinosaur fierce, dinosaur meek."
They go on to introduce about two dozen different dinosaur types and the
emotions they invoke, ala Stickland.
Dinosaur
Roar is not about academic potential. It's about fun.
And that
fun
will live on long after the nay-sayers have fossilized themselves.
As any kid will tell you, Dinosaur Roar is the best possible dinosaur
fiction for the very, very young.
KMH
My
Dinosaur
"Late
at night, when the moon is full," Weatherby's text begins, "I wait by
the
window for my dinosaur." In seconds, the little girl's great
green
dinosaurian
friend answers her silent call, and together they run and play,
sing
and swim. Floating on a smile, they softly conquer the darkness of
night.
You
can almost feel the heart pounding excitement within the wide-eyed
blond
Weatherby has so tenderly painted, as she waits by the window, rides on
the dinosaurs back, and even dangles from his gently arched neck to take
a sip of
water. Not only do Weatherby's paintings illustrate the nuts and bolts
of
his
story for kids, they help grown-ups remember how it feels to be small.
Weatherby
opens My Dinosaur with a tender dedication. "For my little
princess,
Sophi," he says. "May all your dreams come true." A loving
wish, from a loving father, to one very lucky little girl.
A lovely book for the rest of the children
of the world. KMH
Lost
World --- The Complete Dinosaur Scrapbook
This
oversized picture book captures photos, trivia and key plot points
from
"The Lost World," and with it, a slice of the movie magic and enthusiasm.
And
while the film wasn't appropriate viewing for all children (seeing humans
torn
apart by two hungry T.rexes isn't for the faint of heart), this
book almost
certainly
is.
Thanks
to film advisor Dr. Jack Horner, even a measure of paleontology is
evident
in this souvenir scrapbook. So check out The Lost World: The Complete
Dinosaur Scrapbook with a clear conscience, knowing you'll find both
fact and fun, pressed between the 64 pages. KMH
Ten
Little Dinosaurs
Using
rhyming dinosaur text loosely based on a familiar classic, "No More
Monkeys,"
Schnetzler introduces a group of uncommon but authentic
dinosaurs.
"Ten
little dinosaurs bouncing on the bed, Pachycephalosaurus fell off
and
broke
his head. Mama called the doctor and the doctor said, "No more
boneheads
bouncing on the bed."
Nine
Pachycephalosaurs
bounce on the bed, deftly illustrated by Jim Harris
on
the right side of the two page spread, as the tenth bounces face first,
to the
opposite
end of the spread. The front cover orbs slip into dye-cut holes
and
become that tenth bonehead's peepers.
From
stegosaurs
piled on a two wheeler to tyrannosaurs nibbling a mooth
(what,
by the way, is a mooth?), the delight continues. And a dusty old
paleontologist
takes over as the book ends, to grieve and explain dinosaurian extinction.
Schnetzler
could have made Ten Little Indians a hit using tired,
predictable
dinosaur ideas. But to her credit, their is real science behind her
whimsical effort. So you get a dose of fact with this whimsical fiction.
Ten
Little Dinosaurs is a genuine fossil find. KMH
Searching
for Velociraptor
by
Mark Norell
(HarperCollins,
$15.95)
ISBN:
0060258934
Ages
7 and up
The
New York based paleontologist joins forces with Dr. Lowell Dingus, also
affiliated
with New York's American Museum of Natural History, to describe
and
illustrate his quest for the fossilized remains of a fearsome predator
in
the
wilds of Asia. This team searched for and found Velociraptor,
a cunning
meat
eater who roamed prehistoric realms 72 million years ago.
Searching
for Velociraptor presents a clean, reality based step-by-steplook at
a professional dinosaur dig. Every aspect of the adventure,
from planning the
expedition to traveling to the Gobi to prospecting for fossils on foot
to painstaking
collecting the bones, is written in clear, precise english and illustrated
with striking professional photographs. KMH
The
Dinosaurs Are Back (and It's All Your Fault Edward!)
Edward's
sister first explores the tedious demands of being an adoptive
parent
to a dinosaurian baby. "It'll eat like a garbage truck," she
says. "And
SOMEBODY
will have to change it's diaper." At this point, it's obvious,
though
Wendy Hartmann's text is brief and fast paced, Niki Daly's illustrations
fill in more
details than you'd ever even want to know (note the dark vapor cloudescaping
from baby dino's toosh, the lizard- like finger firmly planted up
the
dinosaur's nose).
At
this point, the book leaps from nurture to dinosaur nature, as the
dinosaur
grows ever more hungry and fierce. " [What if} they run wild,looking for
their mother and father?" the sister laments. "What if they go looking
for little boys who steal dinosaur eggs?"
The
Dinosaurs are Back's easy reader text is not really about dinosaurs.
It's
about the traditional brother and sister relationship --- the state of
loving
but constant turmoil. It's about disturbing the balance, when a new
element
is tossed into the mix. It's even about imagination and love.
The
Dinosaurs are Back is a very clever new picture book possibility...a
book
you need when brothers and sisters must share a constant, familiar space.
KMH
The
Humongous Book of Dinosaurs
What
do you get? First, you get the paleontological expertise of Dr. David
Norman
--- a British paleontologist well known for accurate, well written
dinosaur
books (including The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs).
Beyond
Norman's scientific prowess, you get more dinosaur fun than you
could
fully absorb in a year. Everything from Dinosaur World sections on
how and where different species lived to Time Detective reports on how
paleontologists know what they know to remarkable 3-D Gallery illustrations
(Tyrannosaurus rex 3-D glasses included).
By
the time you finish the reading the book --- if you finish reading the
book
--- you'll have to start again just to remember how it began. But what
a great cycle of education. The Humongous Book of Dinosaurs
is not only large, it's great fun to read. KMH
Dinotopia:
The World Beneath
Those
fantasy worlds became Gurney's inspiration for his two best selling
books,
Dinotopia
and Dinotopia: The World Beneath --- books that answer thequestion,
what would happen if an intelligent race of dinosaurs joined together withhumans
to peacefully rule the world? Simply put, if such a thing were truly
possible,
Gurney's vision of Dinotopia would come to life.
Dinosaurs
and mankind work together in Gurney's world. The large,
lumbering
but vastly intelligent creatures lend their brawn while their relatively
tiny counterparts
fine tune the endless details. Apart from a few renegade meateaters
and evil doers who occasionally drift in from the outside, Dinotopia
provides
for her inhabitants, a rich, peaceful lifestyle alive with diversity and
hope.
Gurney's
text and story telling capabilities are reasonably strong. But it
is
his art work that really sets Dinotopia apart. In fact, for the first
Dinotopia
book, Gurney painted each remarkable scene long before the story
even
came to mind.
Set
to become a blockbuster, live action/computer animated film, Dinotopia
will
soon unfold for thousands of people who love the books, as well as for
those
yet to discover the remarkable work. But smart money says reading
the books before
you see the movie is the key to understanding the depth of Dinotopia.
Then and
only then will you be able to fully appreciate the brilliance of JamesGurney
and the tenderness of the worlds he creates. KMH
Called
Prehistoric Journey, the exhibit was a "hit" and an inspiration.
So
much
so, it inspired this remarkable book of the same name.
Written
by two of the DMNH's excellent paleontological staff members, Dr.
Kirk
R. Johnson, and Dr. Richard K Stucky and illustrated by a swirl of remarkablepaleo
artists, Prehistoric Journey is a concise, easy to read account
of the history
of life on earth, as only earth scientists could tell it.
In
the Prehistoric Journey introduction, the authors write, "Through
the
study
of fossils --- paleontology --- humans are able to reconstruct the origins
and
evolution of life and to reveal the history of our own species.
Prehistoric
Journey is our attempt to illustrate this incredible and fascinating
saga."
Ideally,
readers would thumb through the bright photographs and clear pages
of
text and then walk themselves through the state-of-the art Colorado exhibit.
But
even if you can't see a Rocky Mountain adventure in your immediate future,
Prehistoric
Journey is an excellent way to explore the very distant past. KMH
Dinosaur
Worlds
Dinosaur
Worlds, one of Lessem's most recent books for young readers, looks
at
many prehistoric animals and the environments in which they lived.
Each of the Mesozoic
time periods (Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous) are broken downinto bite
sized chapters (Dawn of the Dinosaur, Trapped Giants, Extinction and
Survival,
A New World, Southern Jungle, Long Necks, Giant Bodies, The
Earth-Shakers,
The Poison Lagoons, An ancient Swampland, Rise of the Raptors, Life in
the Horsetail Swamp, Dinosaurs in the Dark, Biggest of the Big, Buriedin
Sand, Herds and Nurseries, End of the Dinosaurs).
While
most of the illustrations are top notch, some experts see a handful
of
smaller visuals as being "behind the curve" when it comes to modern theory.
But on the whole, Lessem has filled this impressive volume with a powerful
mix of fact and theory, restoration illustrations and real life fossil
and wildlife
photographs.
Dinosaur
Worlds is an exceptional offering --- a broad and fascinating look
at
the ever changing science of paleontology. Young readers will love
it
first
for the vibrant art work, and later for the wealth of information within
the
text. All and all, a win/win proposition. KMH
Dinosaur
World
by
Christopher Centaur
(Random
House, $11.99)
ISBN:
0679882014
Ages
2 to 10
By
using rich expressive colors and literally dozens of lift-it flaps (72
counting
a lift-the-flap alphabet on the last page of the book), Centaur
has
successfully met the toddler challenge. Dinosaur World, an
oversized,
beefy
board book, is exciting AND accurate. It is the best nonfiction dinosaur
books
for very young readers on the market today.
There
is cleverly camouflaged text, tucked away beneath the liftable flaps.
But
to be honest, it took my third exploration of this wonderful book, to
even
NOTICE the deftly written text. The visuals are that engaging.
Most
toddlers
won't notice the text either, at least not when they first receive the
book.
But
make no mistake, that wealth of accurate detail is part of what makes
Dinosaur
World worth $12.00. The lively illustrations will excite and
engage
readers
of all ages --- even very young readers. But as they grow and wonder,
as they
hunger for more and more factual information, Dinosaur World will, ineffect,
grow with them.
If
your littlest reader loves dinosaurs, they'll love Dinosaur World
...even
after
their toddler years are behind them. KMH
Oh
My, Oh My, Oh Dinosaurs (Board Book)
More
than 15 years and 8,000 original greeting card designs later (cards
that
sell 20 million copies annually) Boynton has not only earned her English
and
drama degrees from Yale, she's written more than two dozen books for
children
and their parents. Oh My, Oh My, Oh Dinosaurs is Boynton's
fun loving tribute
to prehistoria.
Don't
expect paleontological accuracy in Boynton's line drawings. These
are
not scientific drawings. But they are dinosaur whimsy at its finest.
And the
love
of dinosaurs, like all passions, can often spring from simple sources.
KMH
Baby
Dinosaurs : A Pop-Up Book by Willabel L.
Ton
Fact
is, children love dinosaurs. And Baby Dinosaurs -- A Pop-up Book
is
an
eye catching first look at four of the most popular dinosaur species ---
Stegosaurus,
Triceratops, Brachiosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex --- and one flying reptile
--- Pteranodon.
One
very basic dinosaur fact is revealed and illustrated in bold, electric
colors,
on each two page spread. "What came for dinosaur eggs?" it
says on the first page. "Dinosaur babies." "Baby Tyrannosaurus
rex had big sharp teeth," it says on another, as T. rex scampers
across the book.
The
facts are simple enough to blend well with cartoon illustrations (even
if
it is hard to fathom why working artists feel a need to slap eyelashes
on dinosaurs). On the whole, Baby Dinosaurs --- A Pop-up Book is
a fun loving, interactive way to introduce very young readers to prehistoric
creatures who will undoubtedly become familiar friends as the years go
by. KMH
1997
- 1996
December
Reviews
The
Little Giant Book of Riddles By
Joseph Rosenbloom, Illustrated by Sanford Hoffman, $6.95
It is on page 291:
Geology
crafts for Kids - 50 Nifty Projects to
Explore the Marvels of Planet Earth by
Alan Anderson, Gwen Diehn & Terry Krautwurst, $21.95 Paperback $14.95
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