Dinosaurs!

By Nick Forshaw and Andy Forshaw

Why we chose this book:
T and I are both interested in dinosaurs. When I saw this volume from What on Earth? Books, with its stunning 6-foot timeline, I requested a review copy. The publisher was kind enough to provide one.

Mom's Review

Agent Eagle travels back in time to research the origins, evolution, and end of dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs! is an exceptional publication that T, his dad, and I have all been enjoying. It is in the same series as Bugs! and follows the same format. Agent Eagle introduces himself in graphic-novel style, explaining his new top-secret mission: compile a complete history of dinosaurs. Readers then have access to Agent Eagle's research notebook. The notebook is divided into chapters, each of which is four pages in length. The first two-page spread introduces and explains the chapter topic. The second two-page spread features a closer look at either a few specific dinosaurs, the environment, or noteworthy paleontologists. Agent Eagle's notebook concludes with dinosaur brainteasers and a bright, six-foot-long timeline that folds out of the back of the book.

Intended to be perused at will for children ages 6-15, this book invites the audience to learn about dinosaurs with open arms. You could read it straight through, though T much prefers to select a section for me or his dad to read. Sometimes he goes straight for the timeline, wanting to know what the different dinosaurs' names are. Sometimes he flips through, asking us to read different sections based on the illustration. And sometimes we are allowed to pick what we want to read (a rarity). The reason I'm so enamored with Dinosaurs! is the presentation of information. The format is fun. The information is relayed in an intelligible and interesting way. And I like the artwork. If you like dinosaurs at all, this is not to be missed!

Oh, and a word of advice. When you open the timeline, do it along a wall or someplace out of the way. We made the mistake of doing it in the middle of the living room...and have had to step over it for days now because T won't let us put it away! (Who is in charge in this house anyway?)

Son's Review
(age 3)

While reading:
Son: It looks like that one is eating that one! And this looks likes a monster's arm or leg.

Mom: What makes you say that?

Son: Those parts [claws].

Mom: I can see why you say that. I wonder if people who made up monster stories had seen dinosaur bones and not known what they were...
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Son: It looks like he's eating little dinosaurs. And there are plants around. What do you think this one eats?

Mom: Let's see. It says he's omnivorous. That means he eats plants and animals.

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Son: I like the really scary ones. Like this one.

Mom: What makes a dinosaur scary?

Son: The big ones are scary.
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Mom: What do you think the armor protects them from?

Son:   It protects them from other dinosaurs...eat 'em.

Mom: Would you want to eat a dinosaur with all those spikes?

Son: No! If I had..If I was gonna eat the dinosaurs, I would chop the spikes off.

T pointing out his favorite dinosaur.
He says the little ones are his
favorites because they are so cute.