Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit

Michigan Chillers #8

by Johnathan Rand

No one would believe them. That's why Nick and Summer took the dinosaur egg back with them through the time-portal. But they forgot that the egg has parents and they're not stopping until they find it!

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Childrens, Adventure

215 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

Christopher Wright is the author of dozens of horror fiction books for children and young adults. He writes under the pseudonyms Johnathan Rand and Christopher Knight. Almost all of Wright's books (save American Chillers) take place in his home state of Michigan.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horror in the Wolverine State takes the form of time-traveling dinosaurs this time, as we enter the big city of Detroit. When Nick's grandfather lets him in on a huge family secret—that a window through time regularly opens up in an abandoned field in Detroit, but just once every fifty years and only for a period of one week—Nick has to check it out. If it's possible to hitch a ride to the distant past or future, what kid could turn down that opportunity and live with himself? To Nick's surprise, his friend Summer readily believes what his grandfather told him, and joins Nick as he heads to the field to see if the story is true. Incredibly, the portal opens exactly as Nick's grandfather said it would, and with minor hesitancy, Nick and Summer step inside.

The wrinkle in time has taken them back to the dinosaur era, Nick realizes immediately. Oversize, exotic vegetation grows thickly, and dinosaurs prowl the land. Luckily for Nick and Summer, they don't run into any carnivorous ones, but when Nick stumbles over a huge dinosaur egg in the underbrush, he can't resist taking it home as proof of their time travel. No one believes his claim without seeing the evidence, but when he goes to get the egg where he stashed it in his bedroom, only the empty shell is there, and there's a hole in the wall where the prehistoric hatchling made its getaway. Because of Nick's carelessness, a potentially deadly predator is prowling the streets of Detroit. How much trouble will he be in if someone is hurt or killed by the dinosaur? Teaming with Summer, they frantically search to find the baby dino and transport it back to the Jurassic age before the time window closes, but Nick and Summer have no idea how bad things are about to get. The passage through time works in both direction, and this little dino's parents are none too happy that their egg has been snatched from its nest...

Nick and Summer's mission to get the dinosaurs back where they belong is borne of panicked desperation to stay out of life-altering trouble, but their Mesozoic misadventure results in some cool moments. When Nick gets close enough to feed the baby dinosaur out of his hand, it's an awesome experience the reader can feel. Nick knew before entering the time portal that it was a dangerous idea, but what is life for if not taking risks? Nick puts it well: "I could think of a million reasons why we shouldn't. But I could think of a billion reasons why we should!" Now it's up to him and Summer to reverse the enormous problem they've created, though it won't be easy.

Besides brief mentions of the Fisher Building and Joe Louis Arena, there isn't a lot to mark Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit as being set in the Motor City. The word search at the end is fun, and the story is entertaining, if not always logical. The copyediting and punctuation are eccentric as ever, but that's not a big deal if all you want is a few hours of fun. Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit is good for that, and I'd give it one and a half stars. I do enjoy my Michigan Chillers, and I hope you do, too.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

These stories are always really fun to read when you just need to get through a book quick. Plus it helps that almost all my books in this series are signed. These stories are always quick paced and fun, and as someone who lives in Michigan, I love seeing all the references. This one was especially fun cause I even knew what streets the characters were talking about.

[Patrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neither better nor worse than most of the books in this series.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book a few years ago, so bare with me as I try to recount the story. Two kids (I don't remember the names) find a "window" into another time period. This time period happens to be a time when dinosaurs ruled the earth with an iron fist, or claw. Anyways, the two kids, being the bright kids that they are, decide to bring a dinosaur egg back to the present. Then, the egg hatches into a baby T-Rex. The T-Rex runs away into Detroit, where it's two parents (big T-Rex's) come and try to find it. All in all, it was a pretty good book. The words are small enough that a 3rd grader can read, and the story simple enough for my dog to understand. For the record, my dog is 7 weeks old. Even he knows not to bring dinosaur eggs to the future. This book gets three stars because the story sticks with you for a long time (5 years and countung) and is real easy to understand. It also helps if you got a big book talk due the next day and haven't read any books recently. If that's the case, you should DEFINATELY consdider doing your talk on this book.

[Kenneth BLANCK · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fav one in the MICHGIAN CHILLERS so far!!!!!!! I was actually born in Michigan. Detriot, New Hudson.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4th grade granddaughter's teacher is reading this book to the class, and little Nina asked me if I'd like to read it as well, so we could 'discuss'. What a cute, little story. Can't wait till the teacher finishes so we can chat. I loved the part about the Fisher Building - I think Nina will get a charge out of that since we went to see Aladdin at the Fisher this past summer.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite Michigan chillers books! I liked how the baby dinosaur went up to that Burger World sign and tore it up! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good scare from Michigan or Detroit!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book I’ve read aloud to Ezra

[Max Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got really horribly sick so I whipped out my stale old copy of Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit and thought "hey at least I can get shits and giggles out of this."

[Wyatt]

Terrible

[Alyssa Lange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nick and Summer see a weird window. They then travel 65 million years back in time! As proof of them going, they bring back a something that will make everyone believe them. That special something is a dinosaur egg.

I remember reading Michigan Chillers while being young and actually learning things. Kids will read these books and are learning at the same time. Michigan Chillers are a great choice.

[Amritha Vivek · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nick's grandfather told him about a window through time that opens up every 50 years. Nick decides to wait for the day his grandfather told him it would open up and waits. To his surprise, a window opens up and he pass through. He finds himself in the time of the dinosaurs and he picks up a dinosaur egg and takes it back home. A few days later the egg hatches and the baby dinosaur ruins Nick's neighborhood. Nick and his friend Summer have to find a way to stop the baby dinosaur from destroying Detroit. What will happen?

[Ryan Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit was my book for January. The authors name was Jonathan Rand it was a good book. I did like the book a lot it was interesting. The main setting in the book was in Detroit Michigan the main characters were Nick Summer. The main conflict was the dinosaurs destroying Detroit but I would recommend the book to others because it was a good book. I would recommend the book to kids my age. Because they might like it like I did.

[Nicholas Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit is written by Johnathan Rand. Nick the main character found a portal to the past and went to the past and thought that it would be cool to bring a dinosaur egg back. When the egg hatched Nick later found out that bringing that egg back was not cool at all. Read to find out were and what that dinosaurs all does. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes dinosaurs and adventure.

[Tyler Waddell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick and summer go through portal that leads them to the year dinosaurs were living. Nick takes a egg back with him to rember the trip. The dinosaur egg soon hatches and the soon more and more dinosaurs come to detriot and start destroying the city.It's up to Nick and Summer to defeat the dino's and all they all cheeseburgers and quick wits. Will the survie?

[Katherine Lehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit
Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit is by Jonathan Rand. Nick and Summer discover a secret window through time. They both know that no one will believe them so they bring back proof… A dinosaur's egg. No big deal right?? Yes big deal! The Big Mom and Dad Dinosaurs come to get the egg back. I bet you can’t guess what type of Dino they are….A Tyrannosaurus Rex!

[Taylor Fedewa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit by Johnathan Rand Is about two kids Nick and Summer who travel back in time 65 million years. Nick thinks that when he gets back that no one will believe them so he brought a dinosaur egg back with them. Soon Nick finds out not to take a dinosaurs egg. Can they stop the dinosaur? I would recommend this book to people who like adventurous books.

[Peyton Archer]

I read this for my february book. It was was a pretty good book it was bases off of detroit michigan. The main character was nick. it was about how dinosaurs go around and destroy detroit. I would like to keep reading this series of book.

[Ashley Lowing · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this with the child I tutored for ENG 308 because his interests lied in science fiction. I love how these books are based in Michigan because it provides a connection for our students who read them.

[Tyler Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book. It is about how two friends find a dinosaur egg in a time warp that only shows up once every few years but they forget that the egg has parents and the parents follow them back to Detroit.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids go back into the future in the dinosaur age and come back almost getting eaten by a T Rex. They come back to discover that dinosaurs invaded Detroit, Michigan and that they destroyed the time machine. This book is for people who like horror, and adventure.

[Crazed Jaws · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like dinos and desrtuction you better read this. It is a nother great edition to the chillers saga.

[Collin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short chapter book for people who likes keeping the reader in suspense and waiting just to see what comes in the future.

[Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

its about how they travel back in time and find an egg and bring it back and it is a t-rex and they have 7 days to put it back in the past as long with the t-rex's parents.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

i didnt know t rexs liked cheese burgers

[Erin Fischer-Ballew · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of our favorites in this series!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The time travel element of this book really appealed to me. Lots of fun for elementary age readers.

[Rishindra Chinta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The books in this series were pretty fun to read back in elementary school. This one was one of my favorites.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite book's not only was it what got me reading the series but it was made to have very good cliffhangers which is what hooked me I would definable

[Ethan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a great book because it has a lot of suspenseful moments and is extremely intense. recommended to all age groups.