Dinosaur Days (Step Into Reading: A Step 3 Book

by Joyce Milton, Richard Roe (Illustrator)

This series of affordable paperbacks offers an appealing variety of fiction and nonfiction by such popular authors as Jean Marzollo, Joyce Milton, Richard Scarry, and Joanna Cole

Genres: Dinosaurs, Nonfiction, Childrens, Picture Books, Science, 1st Grade

47 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Joyce Milton is the author of several noted juvenile biographies, as well as the prize-winning novel, Save the Loonies.

Reviews

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

If someone is getting this for a child who is at this level of reading I'd say it's pretty good. *Unless* the child already is interested in dinosaurs that is. The info here is so plainly simple, such everyday knowledge about dinosaurs that the kid will probably be bored and not even want to read it. Personally, since this is supposed to be for kids in grades 1-3, I would think that the info would be along the same lines.
I picked this up yesterday because not only does my five year old loves dinos but she's starting to read. She's in no way ready for this herself but she's identifying words, trying new ones out, etc. so I figured what the hey.
I don't even think they used the word 'fossil'. I think the book just used 'dinosaur bones'. Like it's for a 2 year old.
I'm glancing back through this now, seeing if there was even one little piece of info that my five year old didn't know. Granted, she's a dinosaur freak and knows more than the average adult but if I had to guess I'd say she isn't special there. There have to be other kids so into dinosaurs, her age and maybe younger even, that know these same things. Let's see.
Nothing. The only thing I could say was remotely "new" - as in not frequently talked about - was the Saltopus and even this dinosaur is known to most children who are into learning fino facts.
Shouldn't the info correlate with the target audiences age? If I write a book targeting children and make it about Wall Street are they going to read it?
I'm not trying to be too harsh - this is good for kids reading at this level who may not be so into dinosaurs. I'm not sure how I wish this would have been conveyed but looking at the cover and title it makes one think a dino fan would enjoy it. :(

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I can't believe how many nights in a row my 4-year-old has asked me to read this. It's simple. It talks about a few well-known dinos. Perfect for him.

[Cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer read with I’m the kids. Good information about dinosaurs.

[Herman Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mostly good update ( www.amazon.com/review/R2CW7P6B0OGA5J/... ): 4/5

I don't know if Milton's 1985 "Dinosaur Days" (henceforth DD1) is considered a childhood classic like Watson's 1960 dino book ( www.goodreads.com/review/show/3526058137 ), but I do know that it's just as nostalgic to me. That said, DD1 definitely could've been better for its time. So could Milton's 2014 "Dinosaur Days" (henceforth DD2), but the latter IS an improvement in 2 major ways.

1) DD2's illustrations, while not as aesthetically pleasing as DD1's, ARE good-looking in their own right & more accurate for their time, though not as much so as they could be (E.g. The T. rex & Triceratops on the cover have shrink-wrapped faces & misplaced ear holes). It's nice to see Tempesta continuously improving his skills as a paleoartist, especially compared to his 2010 work ( www.goodreads.com/review/show/3478213840 ).

2) DD2's consultant, Holtz, is an expert who's authored/edited/contributed to many very-good-to-great books (E.g. "The Little Giant Book of Dinosaurs", which I reviewed: www.goodreads.com/review/show/5958644443 ). As you may remember, he also authored "A Dinosaur Lover's Bookshelf" (I.e. "A mostly good guide to what to look for in educational dino books": www.goodreads.com/review/show/5085862684 ).

1 more thing of note: Both DD1 & DD2 have a museum scene on pages 6-7; I just think it's noteworthy that DD1's is seemingly based on the American Museum of Natural History ( https://archive.ph/eQXlA ), while DD2's is seemingly based on the Oxford University Museum of Natural History ( https://archive.ph/4Rx6D ).

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 3 out of 5]

All about dinosaurs! I guess it depends on how much you enjoy learning about dinosaurs on whether you will enjoy this book or not. While they are fascinating, they are not my favorite topic. This book, being for beginning readers is a bit overly wordy and long, at least that is how I felt as an adult reader, so I am assuming the child is probably thinking that it is a bit long and boring also. Although that is probably not a fair assumption, someone should ask the kids how they feel about this book.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to a 6 year old boy. We both liked and while I felt educated, he clearly had already been thus so. I rather enjoyed the read and the time with the 6 year old.

[Haaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good to read. Basic dino information.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Found at the library, copyright 1985. Hilariously outdated, do not read.

[Justin Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the reading levels. I learned things about dinosaurs I never knew at 47.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but feels outdated, and you wonder which parts of it contain incorrect information (wrong dinosaurs, illustrated incorrectly, wrong text, etc.).

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This updated 2014 version of the 1985 edition has revised text and different illustrations. It begins with archaeologists examining fossils of dinosaurs and putting the pieces together to make a total skeleton of the dinosaur. It clearly states that there were no people, cats, dogs, horses, or cows in the time of the dinosaurs and helps a child visualize the world of turtles, crocodiles, fish, and dragonflies that existed with the dinosaurs. It includes descriptions of several dinosaurs including Panphagia, Argentinosaurus, Mapusaurus, Scelidosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Pteranodon along with plesiosaurs, the sea monsters which looked like dinosaurs. Pronunciations of dinosaur names are provided. Updated information about colors of dinosaurs, an asteroid as the means of dinosaur extinction, and birds as the one branch of dinosaurs that survived is included. The final page, an array of multicolored birds- goldfinches, cardinals, blue jays, and chickadees, is a fresh approach to ending the book and makes the reader ponder the evolutionary path. Of course, the next version will have to include the Spinosaurus, the first swimming dinosaur, that was in the newspaper this week. Read this to preschoolers and kindergarteners, and let the first to third graders read it themselves.

[Kate McGinty aka Caryn Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This updated version of the 1985 edition has a revised text and all new illustrations. The pages give basic information on dinosaurs, then go into more detail about many different types, before addressing related creatures such as plesiosaurs. Pronunciation guides help students sound out some of the more difficult words, and the colorful illustrations are appealing and lifelike. Each dinosaur profile has enough information to be interesting without bogging down the reader in too many details. While this is an early reader with fairly large type, the longer page count and challenging words make it best for more practiced readers, or for those who have direct adult support.

[Aaron Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is for kids in grades 1-3. It is an excellent introduction to talking about dinosaurs and fossils. The book talks about how long ago, there were no humans or cats or dogs and that dinosaurs ruled the land. It gives specific examples of different types of dinosaurs and what they ate and did.

GPS standard:
S3E2. Students will investigate fossils as evidence of organisms that lived long ago.
a. Investigate fossils by observing authentic fossils or models of fossils or view information resources about fossils as evidence of organisms that lived long ago.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was written in 1985. Unfortunately, even though it has been updated, it continues to spend multiple pages referring to the Brontosaurus and it never even mentions the word fossil, using the words "dinosaur bones"instead. The illustrations are also very dated. My 3 year old is able to point out inaccuracies, and she is only mildly interested in dinosaurs. I'm not sure it would be a good read for 5-8 year olds who have even a passing interest in dinosaurs.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books as a kid and I just found it and read it to my son. He's not old enough to read it himself, but he thoroughly enjoyed the pictures.
This is a book I'll definitely have to buy.
Great pictures and simple, to the point facts about the most popular dinosaurs with a few uncommon ones. I really like the pronunciations to help the kids learn how to say them properly.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 'step into reading level 3' book; but it's not written so complex that the younger readers couldn't start and understand this book. I read it out loud to my special needs teenage son and he could follow it and understand. It talks about various dinosaurs and how they were born what size they were etc. Very nicely done.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, lavishly illustrated speedy read for kids about Dinosaurs. As an adult who is greatly interested in Dinosaurs, it told me nothing that I didn't already know(but being as I am far, far, far past the intended age range, I wouldn't fairly expect it to), but I enjoyed it anyway.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dinosaur Days
Milton, Joyce
very early reader about dinosaurs

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 7365 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 2.6 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, RV, VP

[Keely · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book for first grade because it's engaging enough to make students want to tackle challenging new words.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son was TKO by the end of this book for his bedtime story. Success!

[JaNeal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great non-fiction early reader on a favorite topic for kids.

[Storm Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! This was the first book I ever remember reading!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read all by myself

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dinosaurs books fly off the shelves at our library! This one would definitely be a hit with the beginning readers.