Dinosaurs in Space

by Todd Sturgell

Award-winning author Todd Sturgell returns with another irreverent, hilarious, and informative picture book that explains just how dinosaurs might have ended up in space!

When the narrator explains about the big boom that caused dinosaur extinction, Dakota the dinosaur and his ragtag group of friends don't want to hear it! Taking over the story—much to the narrator's dismay—these dizzy dinos share their spacetastic theories about moon-sauruses, Martian dinosaurs, and…zombie-sauruses?

This silly science lesson gone wrong is an amusing lesson based on real scientific theories, and includes educational backmatter and lots of dino facts!

Genres: Picture Books, Dinosaurs, Humor, Childrens, Nonfiction, Juvenile, Stem

40 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2024

About the author

Todd Sturgell is an illustrator and author. He lives, draws, and hikes in the North Carolina mountains with his amazing daughters and an overactive rescue dog, Max (named after his favorite picture book character).
He loves to draw dinosaurs, mysterious creatures, and characters with big dreams. He is drawn to stories that explore childhood imagination, stem-related themes, and journeys full of wonder.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another dino book that really is just fun! DIS is just a way to get away from it all for awhile - thought I would read it before I get into some really deep and disturbing reading. Books like this help be put things in perspective; because I was very into dinosaurs when I was a little boy. This is a fun read for dino fans!

[Books_the_Magical_Fruit · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need to read this book! It starts off like it’s purely nonfiction, but then it quickly veers into silly territory. It’s hilarious! Stargell perfectly walks the line between interesting information and crazy characters that show up and keep messing up the flow of the book. I know my kids would find this hysterically funny, and I think yours will, too. Also, there’s some hidden Jurassic Park Easter eggs in here, which I always appreciate, since it’s one of the greatest movies ever made. Todd’s a clever boy. 🤣

Look for this in September!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Explore for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todd Sturgell (Except Antarctica) brings that same grades 1-4 audience a humorous look at dinosaurs and the Chicxulub asteroid that many scientists believe is responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs. Sturgell’s dinosaurs are a blend of cartoon and the appearance determined by paleontologists and once he/the narrator brings the explosion into the text, a back and forth begins that is both funny and information. When the narrator states the power of the asteroid hit sent bits of Earth such as dirt, rocks, plants and even bits of dinosaurs, the Dinos latch onto the part about there being dinosaurs in space. The banter continues with the mix of fact and misinterpretation until the back matter that solely reports what scientists have learned about Chicxulub, a glossary of terms, the 4 times that astronauts have brought dinosaur remains into space with them and a fact sheet on 4 dinosaurs and one bird that drives Todd crazy outside his home. End papers are as wonderfully illustrated as the body of the book and all are done using pen and ink and then colored in Photoshop.

Great choice for elementary libraries.

Thanks for the print arc, Sourcebooks Kids.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinosaurs are proven to be in space...well, at least, somewhat and with an extra sprinkle of imagination, it becomes even more fun.

This is a nonfiction book about dinosaurs, which stretches its wings into humor and creeps to the very edge of science fiction without really going over it. It begins with the introduction of an Austroraptor and goes on to introduce several other dinosaurs, explain the periods with a timeline, address the theory of dinosaurs evolving into birds, and then, presents the asteroid destruction theory. And that's where things start really taking a turn into silliness.

A never-seen narrator explains all of this to a small group of dinosaurs, who are more than willing to ask questions and let their imaginations fly free. From the very beginning, it's clear that while this goes over dinosaur basics, it's by no means a serious, dry read. In some ways, it reminds me of The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone but with much, much more mixed in than just silliness. The humor mounts and mounts in these pages until it takes over...and it's so wonderful when it does!

These dinosaurs are fun. Their energy beams from the page, and it's hard not to wonder when they'll simply let all caution to the wind and jump into a spaceship for sheer fantastical adventure. This would be a fun group to head into space and beyond with. At times, it does feel chaotic, but that fits to the entire atmosphere.

On the more substance end, this presents a few dinosaurs without digging overly deep. The various time periods are also mentioned but never really go beyond the quick address. The evolution of dinosaurs into birds is given a tiny bit more time, but again, everything carries on rather quickly. There are also a few extra facts at the back, including a glossary for terms.

It's a fun read and will slide in well with especially the younger end of the suggested audience.

[Thompson McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinosaurs In Space
by Todd Sturgell
Illustrations by the author
Sourcebooks
2024
40 pages
ISBN: 9781728236278

A dinosaur named Austro gives a lesson on dinosaur fossils and the asteroid that wiped them out and blasted pieces and bones into space. Pachy (another dinosaur) keeps interrupting the lesson and adding fun tidbits for young readers to think about. Could there be dinosaurs on the moon? On Mars? Maybe there's dinosaur zombies out there. Austro assures him there are not. The fun banter between the two is full of whimsy and will entertain the reader. Pages follow with more information about various dinosaurs and the asteroid that hit earth.

Fantastic illustrations by Sturgell make this picture book a winner. It will be one of the most frequent check-outs in any library, so savvy librarians will order several copies. With "dinosaur" in the title, many kids will be attracted to this book.

Highly recommended grade 3 and up independent readers. Younger children will love the book, but an adult will have to read it to them.

[Jordan Tu'ulauulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Kids for the digital ARC!

4/5 I read this with my dinosaur-and-space-obssessed 4 year old, and he loves it! He's asked to read it every night for the past week now. I've replaced a few words here and there to make it more understandable for his age, but other than that he follows along well and is entertained with Austro (the Austorapter) and his shenanigans. This is one of those books that breaks the fourth wall, and that is a new concept for him, so I've had to explain it and use drastically different voices for the narrator and the dinosaurs to help him grasp the concept, but it's a fun read! However, I hoped that it would've leaned more into the fiction rather than the non-fiction. This might be mismarketed as a fiction book because the main storyline is telling us about the theory of fossils on the moon as a repercussion of the asteroid hitting earth 66 million years ago.

[Shan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super cute and whimsical story about dinosaur fossils being in space, on the moon. I have zero doubt that kids will absolutely love this book. It has a fun (informal, but the good kind) tone and writing style, which will make kids really enjoy reading this. Additionally, all of the information was wildly interesting, and I even learned some stuff. Kids will be fascinated by the relevant fun facts throughout the entire book. Lastly, for the illustrations, I think that they were great! They weren't too realistic, yet they were still accurate as cartoons. A clever little detail that the illustrator included with the drawings was labeling every dinosaur shown with their name. This will help dinosaur names stick with kids and they will also likely discover their new favorite dinosaur. The colors were also very well-done for all of the drawings, and it helped make them even more fun and engaging.
Bravo!

[Becky B · Rating 2 out of 5]

An author trying to write about the asteroid that hit the Earth and wiped out the dinosaurs finds his book going way off track when the dinosaurs start to interrupt and take over changing the book into a story about dinosaurs going to space before the author wrestles control back again.

I wish the author had clarified that all he was saying about the asteroid wiping out the dinosaurs is a theory, it isn't proven, and there are other theories. He also talks about dinosaur fossils being on the moon, but you have to read to the very end to discover this is a hypothesis, no dinosaur fossils have been found on the moon, and if there were bits of dinosaur on the moon from the explosion, it would be tiny bone fragments. I think kids will get that certain parts of this are silly but other parts could be confusing as to whether they are fact or not. I did like the dinosaurs taking over and making the story ridiculous.

[Noodlenuts Kids Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always had wide ranging (if sometimes oddly specific) taste in books. At any given time there's usually both a novel and something non-fiction in progress on my nightstand, and that's something that started in childhood: I adored hilarious, imaginative stories but also craved facts and information on the subjects that interested me.

So I'm always excited to encounter picture books like author-illustrator Todd Sturgell's "Dinosaurs in Space" (2024) that combine the best of both worlds, with humourous narrative and loads of facts.

And best of all, it's about two subjects beloved of kids - dinosaurs and outer space - and how they're connected!

The story unfolds with an unseen narrator giving a history of dinos on earth, but you and your kids will be laughing nonstop as a couple of dino hecklers on the page keep interrupting with their own hilarious and very opinionated commentary.

Highly recommended. This is definitely the kind of book that becomes a family favourite!

[Jeanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley, for the adavanced copy of this book

This was a cute and silly dinosaur book. I did find the transition from space somewhat difficult to follow, and I think my son (age 2) would be unable to follow along. I think this is better suited for the 5-7 age range, and I believe my daughter would enjoy the jokes and laugh at the dinosaurs as they learn about the asteroid destruction. The dinosaurs make wild assumptions that are slowly corrected with a factual response. I thought the illustrations added to the enjoyment of the story, and I liked reading their little conversations. I enjoyed the factual approach to the dinosaurs and thought that the dinosaur index at the end was especially helpful

[Kristen | CozyNovelTea · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Thank you to Todd Sturgell, NetGalley and Source Books Kids/Sourcebooks Explore for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!]

Oh man, this is such a great book! I already know my two boys (ages 4-7) would become obsessed with it and ask me to read it to them approximately a million times.

This book is very educational on dinosaurs and how they became extinct and ‘ended up in space’ but it’s presented in such a fun way.

It starts off very factual but quickly gets silly. With an unseen narrator and dinosaurs jumping in on the story, it’s a fun way for kids to interact. The illustrations are so cute and I love the color palette that was used.

Will definitely keep my eye out when this is released in September and will ask my local library to purchase their own copy!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kids love dinos, so this was another no-brainer to order. It’s an interesting take on the extinction story - in this case the dinos themselves are interrupting. I’m actually not sure if this would be better cataloged as a picture book or nonfiction - there’s definitely some good informational stuff…but also some of the goofiness of the dinos interrupting the story (and misunderstanding - thinking that the asteroid blasted the dinos into space, rather than into…pieces). And of course there’s a bit of actual science at the end, including a glossary. It’s a little too meta for storytime, but it would be a fun addition to any dino-loving kid’s collection. And who doesn’t love pictures of dinosaurs in space helmets?

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Sourcebooks Explore through Edelweiss+.
A humorous look at the history of dinosaurs and what happened when the Chicxolub asteroid hit the Earth. We meet an Austroraptor who decides to travel through time as the narrator tries to share information about various dinosaurs. Along the way, other dinosaurs join and celebrate dinosaurs being in space, on the moon, etc. The narrator explains what actually happened but they prefer their own interpretations. I appreciate the smooth way Sturgell shares informative text and wraps it with fun characters and possibilities.

[Stephanie Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every dinosaur lover - young and old - will love this book. I had never considered that dinosaur pieces may have landed in outer space after the "big boom", but this book goes in depth explaining the possibility. Not only does it have an adorable story line with dinosaurs and some wonderful illustrations, but it also includes a section explaining the phenomenon (scientifically) and a glossary and other fun facts are also included. So, not only do you get a super cute story, but you learn something too. I would recommend it to everyone.

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.)

[Tasha Mutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely ADORABLE!

Dinosaurs in Space starts off as a non-fiction book about dinosaurs but then turns into a fictional read. This goes back and forth between non-fiction and fiction making this an enjoyable read for everyone, while your kids are learning. The flow between the two formats is seamless.

The illustrations are bright, colorful, and entertaining helping my littles to understand what was being discussed and held their attention. Anything with dinosaurs is a must read in my family.

Thank you Todd Sturgell and SOURCEBOOKS Kids for allowing me to review a digital copy. Well done.

[Randi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went ahead and read this to my 5 and 8 year old boys and they loved the idea of dinosaur fossils in space! I liked that a lot of the information was presented in a fun and silly way that kept them giggling and engaged. Now my 5yo wants to be an "earth paleontologist" AND a "MOON paleontologist" haha. However, the info dumping at the end wasn't as fun to read as the rest which made the target age for the book harder to discern and it would've been nicer to find a lot of that information in the humor narrative as well.

[Ande Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read A LOT of picture books about dinosaurs, and this was one of my very favorites! Dinosaurs in Space starts out with some non-fiction facts about dinosaurs, and our narrating dinosaur takes over to add some silly fun into this adorable book. I loved the accurate science that was added in to an overall silly dino book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Todd Sturgell, and SourceBooks Kids for the chance to read & review!

[Mandy Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative book about dinosaurs that quickly turns into a silly, fun book. The reader gets to experience learning something and the enjoyment of laughing at the silliness of it. I loved Todd's "Except Antartica" and it has quickly become a story time favorite in our bookstore. I am sure this one will become one as well.

Thank you to the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are there dinosaur fossils on the moon? And if there are - how did they get there?
Todd Sturgell explains when dinos lived and also expounds on the theory that an asteroid hitting the earth caused their destruction. He gets a bit of help from a couple of dinos that are interested in expanding on the story a bit and adding their own unique perspective.

This is a great book to hand to both dinosaur and outer space fans. There is factual information included at the end.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a silly, informative book that would be great for a kiddo who loves all things dinosaurs. My five-year-old didn't have much patience for the information, but he loved the idea of a dinosaur chasing after an astronaut. This is a really ambitious book that plays with the conventions of a picture book while introducing some pretty intense information (like an astroid hitting earth and volcanos erupting).

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when I thought there wasn’t anything new to learn about dinosaurs, we learn that dinosaur fragments could possibly exist on the moon. This fun book that isn’t just an information dump, but where the dinosaurs interact with the reader. It’s fun and interesting and kids who like dinosaurs are going to love this book.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

DINOSAURS IN SPACE by Todd Sturgell is a humorous take on the science behind events that scientists believe led to the extinction of dinosaurs many millions of years ago—and possibly even sent dinosaurs to space. Facts mixed with humor will delight and inform dinosaur lovers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun blend of fiction and non-fiction about dinosaurs, when they lived, how they became extinct. The dinosaurs in the book mishear the narrators facts and turn them into silly illustrations. Best as one on one due to the small details in illustration and back and forth between the narrator and dinosaurs.

[Audrey Sauble · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny, fantastic mix of science facts and comical storytelling. The book starts off by introducing Austroraptor (or Austro for short), a dinosaur who gets just a little carried away by every new fact. From there, the story is history—dinosaur history? Outer space history? Who knows where things might end up!

[Bre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super silly book that teaches kids all about dinosaurs!
My son LOVED the silly dinosaurs that kept "popping up and getting in the way!".
Very informative with just the right amount of fun!
Perfect for any dino-loving kids!

[Sabs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dinosaurs in Space is a fun book that explores what happened to dinosaurs when the asteroid hit earth that led to the dinosaurs extinction. It is written in a way to keep kids engaged while also delivering a surprising amount of dinosaur facts. We enjoyed this book!

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super fun picture book about dinosaurs… in space. But not in space the way you’re thinking. This book is chalk full of facts and dinosaurs. Maybe there’s a hint of whimsical imaginings of what could have happened to the dinosaurs… you’ll have to read it to find out the theories!
Warning! This book does break the 4th wall

[Plainfilm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable, fun and educational book. My 4 year old and 6 year old girls absolutely loved it and have requested it again and again. Illustrations combine fun and accuracy well. The main character is likable and engaging. Learning fun facts and a bedtime story all in one.

[Holly Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kids will love this silly book about one of their favorite subjects—dinosaurs. Add in the humor and you have a winner. Lots of facts to straighten out anyone who has persuaded themselves that there are dinosaur astronauts in space.

[Amber Wessies Owrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny story about a dinosaur getting confused by the narrator and thinking there were astronaut dinosaurs.