Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs!
My son, like many young children, was completely fascinated by dinosaurs and we had an extensive collection of books on the subject! However, I am sure that had this book been around then, it would quickly have become one of his favourites.
A clear contents page allows the reader to quickly locate information which interests them, but the book is perfect for browsing and discovering pages of interest. Each spread is well presented with illustrations and facts working together to make the information as accessible as possible.
Starting with an explanation of what dinosaurs were and when they lived, the book defines the different periods clearly before moving on to answering questions about their size and diet before honing in on specific dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex and Deinonychus. Dinosaurs which lived in the sea and those which flew are also covered.
The book explains how fossils developed and how palaeontologists work like detectives to learn more about these fascinating creatures. The book concludes with theories about how the dinosaurs died out and a glossary of ‘special dinosaur words’.
A brilliant addition to any dinosaur-lover’s collection, Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs! is also sure to tempt new fans to the topic!
Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs!
Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker
bsmall ISBN: 978-1913918897
You can read my review of ‘Sharks! Sharks! Sharks!’ here.
How Many Dinosaurs is Too Many?
When a child meets a lovely orange dinosaur, they are delighted. But one dinosaur is never enough and soon they have ten colourful, energetic dinosaur friends. However, the disruption and chaos caused by these messy, cheeky characters is soon just too much and so the child decides that they all have to go. Once alone, the child is left feeling sad…until they are reunited with their original friend. One dinosaur is perfect!
Full of energy and humour, the rhyming text is a delight to read aloud as the antics of the dinosaurs at first delights and then worries the little child. There is no indication as to whether this is a boy or a girl, making it easy for readers to identify with the character as the adventure develops. Children will enjoy counting along as each new dinosaur appears and the book is sure to inspire counting and matching games with toys or pictures of dinosaurs.
The illustrations are wonderful, offering plenty of opportunities for finding the different dinosaurs in each picture and noticing all their antics. Children are sure to notice the worried expression on the little orange dinosaur’s face as things get out of hand and the child realises that, perhaps, what they wished for is not as good as they thought it would be! In the end, the two friends are reunited, realising that two makes perfect company!
A lovely story for home and school!
How Many Dinosaurs is Too Many?
Lou Peacock, illustrated by Nicola Slater
Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1839945519
NNFN2023: Ultimate Dinosaurs
Day 28 of National Non-Fiction November!
Endlessly fascinating to many young children, dinosaur books will always be popular. This series builds an extremely collectable library of pocket sized books introducing the reader to different dinosaurs in an extremely readable mix of science and humour.
Each book has been carefully researched, clearly presenting information in accessible chunks, supported by plenty of diagrams and cartoons. Each book starts by defining what a dinosaur is and a section of this chapter offers the same information from book to book, ensuring consistency. The following chapter, Dinosaur Detectives, then focuses in on the subject of the book. Here the reader finds a description and a family tree which explores relationships between dinosaurs. Helpful diagrams illustrate the size of these creatures in relation to a human and there are pronunciation guides for how to say each name.
Other chapters look at the discoveries relating to the named dinosaur, their anatomy and habitat. ‘New Science’ explores the latest ideas and ‘the battle’ looks at how the ‘evolutionary arms race’ would have played out, supported by a cartoon depiction.
Packed with fascinating facts, these small books are a wonderful resource for dinosaur lovers, old and young.
Ultimate Dinosaur: Microraptor
Ben Garrod, illustrated by Scott Hartman, Gabriel Ugueto and Ethan Kocak
Zephyr ISBN: 978-1804548301
Ultimate Dinosaur: Ankylosaurus
Ben Garrod, illustrated by Scott Hartman, Gabriel Ugueto and Ethan Kocak
Zephyr ISBN: 978-1804548271
NNFN2023: The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers
Like many young children, my son was fascinated by dinosaurs when he was little. We spent many happy hours at the Natural History Museum in London and the one in Oxford, collected hundreds of plastic models and books and could identify many different types! This fascinating and absorbing book would have delighted him.
Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor engage in a lively discussion about how old-fashioned T-rex is looking and how much he needs a make over. Together, they go on a journey of discovery to match his appearance to the most recent evidence. Notes alongside their conversation help to develop understanding and the use of ambitious vocabulary is something which young dinosaur lovers seem to thrive on and enjoy!
The combination of humorous banter, the illustrations which change in response to this and the abundant scientific information makes this a real winner of a book. Additional pages at the end of the book offer the ‘latest evidence’, reminding the reader that there are always more discoveries to be made! A brilliant addition to any bookshelf!
The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers
Dr Adam S Smith and Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Stieven Van der Poorten
UCLan Publishing ISBN: 978-1915235596
You can read my review of ‘The Plesiosaur’s Neck’ here.
