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Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time
An entertaining, educational, and strikingly illustrated guide to Earth's prehistoric eras and animals, from the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of Women in Science
With an exciting blend of vivid artwork and astonishing scientific facts, Dinosaurs journeys through Earth’s inhospitable origins, when the only life-forms were single-celled organisms—to the beginnings of life as we know it during the Paleozoic plants covering whole continents with forests, winged insects taking to the sky, and seafaring vertebrates evolving to survive on land. Traveling forward in time, you’ll explore the Mesozoic Era, when the gargantuan Tyrannosaurus rex, the long-necked Brontosaurus, and the lumbering Stegosaurus walked the Earth. Then you’ll venture into the Cenozoic Era’s ice age, where you’ll meet mammals like the Woolly Mammoth and early humans.
Experience earth history like you’ve never seen it before with infographics, maps, and illustrations that bring fascinating extinct animals to life. Rachel Ignotofsky makes paleontology accessible and entertaining for readers of all ages in this stunningly illustrated journey across more than 4.5 billion years.
With an exciting blend of vivid artwork and astonishing scientific facts, Dinosaurs journeys through Earth’s inhospitable origins, when the only life-forms were single-celled organisms—to the beginnings of life as we know it during the Paleozoic plants covering whole continents with forests, winged insects taking to the sky, and seafaring vertebrates evolving to survive on land. Traveling forward in time, you’ll explore the Mesozoic Era, when the gargantuan Tyrannosaurus rex, the long-necked Brontosaurus, and the lumbering Stegosaurus walked the Earth. Then you’ll venture into the Cenozoic Era’s ice age, where you’ll meet mammals like the Woolly Mammoth and early humans.
Experience earth history like you’ve never seen it before with infographics, maps, and illustrations that bring fascinating extinct animals to life. Rachel Ignotofsky makes paleontology accessible and entertaining for readers of all ages in this stunningly illustrated journey across more than 4.5 billion years.
128 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2025
3 people are currently reading
4670 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Ignotofsky
25 books260 followersRachel Ignotofsky grew up in New Jersey on a healthy diet of cartoons and pudding. She graduated with honors from Tyler School of Art’s graphic design program in 2011. Now she lives in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri, where she spends all day drawing and learning as much as she can. She has a passion for taking dense information and making it fun and accessible and is dedicated to creating educational works of art.
Rachel is inspired by history and science and believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. She uses her work to spread her message about education, scientific literacy, and powerful women. She hopes this book inspires girls and women to follow their passions and dreams.
Rachel is inspired by history and science and believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. She uses her work to spread her message about education, scientific literacy, and powerful women. She hopes this book inspires girls and women to follow their passions and dreams.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 13, 2025
“Dinosaurs” is truly an exceptionally, beautifully illustrated non-fiction work. While I’d not consider myself by any means an expert in paleobiology or geology, I have reviewed and purchased many, many books in the subject areas for a wide range of ages and experience. Each book brings something a little different to the plate with a balance of narrative, science, and artistic representation.
I feel this book is best suited to 8-14 year olds, but very enjoyable for all casual paleobiology hobbiest that aren’t seeking strictly scientific illustrations. I want to be very clear that I *love* the artwork in this book, so much that I plan to purchase a physical copy even though it falls outside of our usual collection parameters. While the illustrations are very stylistic, I’m still seeing thoughtful interpretations that aren’t rooted in retro paleoartistry (see: stegosaurs, velociraptor). Though, I see we’ve fallen into pronated T-Rex territory in some illustrations.
The book is ultimately a colorful and striking interpretation of the prehistoric world that’s simply a joy to look at. Something unique this book brings that we don’t see terribly often in this format is the global contextualization of animals and plants throughout geological time. It was lovely to see not *just* a book about dinosaurs, but also the environmental context of bugs, fish, mammal introduction, and some corresponding flora. I’m also a certified prehistoric mammalian lover and we simply don’t have enough general audience texts describing that period and I love that this book really brings those geological periods forward with the same kind of geological context.
The factual content of the book is consistent with other scientific texts covering similar material with easily digestible summaries on things like convergent evolution and species niches. Overall, I loved it. I think it provides a wonderfully accessible text in a very scientific niche.
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital edition for review.
I feel this book is best suited to 8-14 year olds, but very enjoyable for all casual paleobiology hobbiest that aren’t seeking strictly scientific illustrations. I want to be very clear that I *love* the artwork in this book, so much that I plan to purchase a physical copy even though it falls outside of our usual collection parameters. While the illustrations are very stylistic, I’m still seeing thoughtful interpretations that aren’t rooted in retro paleoartistry (see: stegosaurs, velociraptor). Though, I see we’ve fallen into pronated T-Rex territory in some illustrations.
The book is ultimately a colorful and striking interpretation of the prehistoric world that’s simply a joy to look at. Something unique this book brings that we don’t see terribly often in this format is the global contextualization of animals and plants throughout geological time. It was lovely to see not *just* a book about dinosaurs, but also the environmental context of bugs, fish, mammal introduction, and some corresponding flora. I’m also a certified prehistoric mammalian lover and we simply don’t have enough general audience texts describing that period and I love that this book really brings those geological periods forward with the same kind of geological context.
The factual content of the book is consistent with other scientific texts covering similar material with easily digestible summaries on things like convergent evolution and species niches. Overall, I loved it. I think it provides a wonderfully accessible text in a very scientific niche.
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital edition for review.
October 29, 2025
I'm very hesitant about both children's books and paleontology. Therefore, I'm reviewing a children's book about paleontology.
My hesitations
- Children's books: most are incredibly boring. We need better nonfiction children's books, people! Kids are smart and capable, but they also need well written and well designed books. (Spoiler: Dinosaurs by Ignotofsky is well written, well designed, and absolutely fascinating.)
- Paleontology: I love dinosaurs, but I'm hesitant because I am ignorant. How can we know SO MANY DETAILS about creatures who only survive as fossilized remains?
Also, most of my dinosaur information comes from elementary school thirty years ago, and I *know* scientists have learned a lot more about dinosaurs in the meantime.
All the same, dinosaurs are absolutely fascinating.
This book, Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time by Rachel Ignotofsky, has beautiful, clear illustrations with humor mixed in. It's a well designed book so it's clear what information goes with what pictures.
From this book I learned that pterodactyls are not dinosaurs!
Neither are crocodile ancestors or swimming prehistoric animals like ichthyosaurs.
But!! Isn't "dinosaur" like the term "bug"--it's not scientific, but a general classification us normal people use? Because, really, in real life ants and spiders are both bugs, even though only one is an insect. Same thing with dinosaurs: surely all super-ancient animals are dinosaurs?
Nope.
I looked this up to confirm. Apparently, the term that encompasses all ancient creatures is "paleofauna." Not quite as recognizable as "dinosaur," though.
Big words
There are lots of big, technical words here, including a ton that I didn't already know. Is that a problem for kids? I don't think so. First, the way to learn new words is to see them in use. Second, there are lots of illustrations and text to define the words.
The title
The only thing I don't love about the book is the title. This book isn't really about dinosaurs, it's--as the subtitle says--about geologic time and prehistoric life. Dinosaurs only compose 1/4 of the book.
But for those of us who love dinosaurs, we are happily lured to this book which gives an expansive, fascinating view of the world before, during, and after the dinosaurs.
For kids... and for you
Kids who like dinosaurs will love this book--as long as they're fascinated with and not disappointed by the focus on geologic time. I'd guess most kids aged 6 to 11-ish would like it. I would have when I was that age.
But that's not all. I loved this book even now as a 41-year-old. Ten Speed Press gave me an electronic review copy on NetGalley, but I've added it to my wish list because this is such a cool book. It's a fun, clear, not overwhelming way to update my knowledge about dinosaurs and geologic time. You'd probably like it, too.
My hesitations
- Children's books: most are incredibly boring. We need better nonfiction children's books, people! Kids are smart and capable, but they also need well written and well designed books. (Spoiler: Dinosaurs by Ignotofsky is well written, well designed, and absolutely fascinating.)
- Paleontology: I love dinosaurs, but I'm hesitant because I am ignorant. How can we know SO MANY DETAILS about creatures who only survive as fossilized remains?
Also, most of my dinosaur information comes from elementary school thirty years ago, and I *know* scientists have learned a lot more about dinosaurs in the meantime.
All the same, dinosaurs are absolutely fascinating.
This book, Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time by Rachel Ignotofsky, has beautiful, clear illustrations with humor mixed in. It's a well designed book so it's clear what information goes with what pictures.
From this book I learned that pterodactyls are not dinosaurs!
Neither are crocodile ancestors or swimming prehistoric animals like ichthyosaurs.
But!! Isn't "dinosaur" like the term "bug"--it's not scientific, but a general classification us normal people use? Because, really, in real life ants and spiders are both bugs, even though only one is an insect. Same thing with dinosaurs: surely all super-ancient animals are dinosaurs?
Nope.
I looked this up to confirm. Apparently, the term that encompasses all ancient creatures is "paleofauna." Not quite as recognizable as "dinosaur," though.
Big words
There are lots of big, technical words here, including a ton that I didn't already know. Is that a problem for kids? I don't think so. First, the way to learn new words is to see them in use. Second, there are lots of illustrations and text to define the words.
The title
The only thing I don't love about the book is the title. This book isn't really about dinosaurs, it's--as the subtitle says--about geologic time and prehistoric life. Dinosaurs only compose 1/4 of the book.
But for those of us who love dinosaurs, we are happily lured to this book which gives an expansive, fascinating view of the world before, during, and after the dinosaurs.
For kids... and for you
Kids who like dinosaurs will love this book--as long as they're fascinated with and not disappointed by the focus on geologic time. I'd guess most kids aged 6 to 11-ish would like it. I would have when I was that age.
But that's not all. I loved this book even now as a 41-year-old. Ten Speed Press gave me an electronic review copy on NetGalley, but I've added it to my wish list because this is such a cool book. It's a fun, clear, not overwhelming way to update my knowledge about dinosaurs and geologic time. You'd probably like it, too.
October 12, 2025
Book Review: Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time by Rachel Ignotofsky
Rating: 5 Stars
I’m giving Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time by Rachel Ignotofsky five stars — and I’m still smiling about it. From the moment I picked it up, the cover alone drew me in (seriously, it’s gorgeous), and what’s inside more than lives up to that first impression.
This isn’t a one-note dinosaur book. Yes, you’ll meet iconic giants like T. rex, Brontosaurus, and Stegosaurus, but Ignotofsky takes you much further: she narrates the whole sweep of Earth’s story, beginning with its hostile infancy when life was nothing more than single-celled organisms, moving through the verdant explosion of the Paleozoic when plants and winged insects took hold, and on into the Mesozoic dinosaur heyday and the Cenozoic world of ice-age mammals and early humans. The book reads like a lively timeline of evolution and geology — a tour of deep time that happens to feature dinosaurs, rather than a text fixated on them alone.
What really sold me was the way information is presented. The illustrations are vivid, playful, and endlessly appealing; Ignotofsky’s distinctive art style makes complex topics feel accessible and fun. Infographics, maps, and nicely packaged facts break up the text and make learning feel interactive. I found myself pausing to admire an illustration and then staying for the surprisingly rich science behind it. It’s the kind of book that invites you to flip through casually or linger and learn — perfect for curious minds.
As for audience, I think this is an ideal pick for kids around eight and up, but honestly it’s great for anyone who loves science, history, or natural history. Teachers and homeschoolers would find it a fantastic classroom resource — engaging visuals plus clear explanations make it a terrific way to introduce students to paleontology, evolution, and Earth’s changing climates.
In short: charming, informative, and visually stunning. If you want a book that brings prehistoric life and geological time to life without being dry or overly technical, this one is a winner. Five stars from me.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Rating: 5 Stars
I’m giving Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time by Rachel Ignotofsky five stars — and I’m still smiling about it. From the moment I picked it up, the cover alone drew me in (seriously, it’s gorgeous), and what’s inside more than lives up to that first impression.
This isn’t a one-note dinosaur book. Yes, you’ll meet iconic giants like T. rex, Brontosaurus, and Stegosaurus, but Ignotofsky takes you much further: she narrates the whole sweep of Earth’s story, beginning with its hostile infancy when life was nothing more than single-celled organisms, moving through the verdant explosion of the Paleozoic when plants and winged insects took hold, and on into the Mesozoic dinosaur heyday and the Cenozoic world of ice-age mammals and early humans. The book reads like a lively timeline of evolution and geology — a tour of deep time that happens to feature dinosaurs, rather than a text fixated on them alone.
What really sold me was the way information is presented. The illustrations are vivid, playful, and endlessly appealing; Ignotofsky’s distinctive art style makes complex topics feel accessible and fun. Infographics, maps, and nicely packaged facts break up the text and make learning feel interactive. I found myself pausing to admire an illustration and then staying for the surprisingly rich science behind it. It’s the kind of book that invites you to flip through casually or linger and learn — perfect for curious minds.
As for audience, I think this is an ideal pick for kids around eight and up, but honestly it’s great for anyone who loves science, history, or natural history. Teachers and homeschoolers would find it a fantastic classroom resource — engaging visuals plus clear explanations make it a terrific way to introduce students to paleontology, evolution, and Earth’s changing climates.
In short: charming, informative, and visually stunning. If you want a book that brings prehistoric life and geological time to life without being dry or overly technical, this one is a winner. Five stars from me.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
September 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely stunning, but heads up you get more than just dinosaurs!
Wow, this book is GORGEOUS. I'm talking about illustrations that made me gasp on every page. Rachel Ignotofsky has done it again. Her art style is so unique and makes learning so much fun.
I'm giving this five stars because it's truly outstanding, but I want to be clear about what you can expect. Even though the title says it's about dinosaurs, it's much more than JUST about them. It's more like going on a full tour of Earth's history, from single-celled organisms to the first people. You get dinosaurs, but you also get a lot more. Instead of being a book just about dinosaurs, think of it as a chronology of evolution and geology that happens to include dinosaurs rather than a dedicated dino book.
The pace is just right, and the fascinating information had me say "What?!" all the time. I learned so much that I ended up delving down rabbit holes online to find out what experts think these extinct species looked like. This book makes you want to keep learning.
The illustrations might make you assume it's for kids, but I think this is excellent for kids who are 10 and older. There is a lot of information that smaller kids might find overwhelming... especially all the BIG words and names!
You have to have this if you love science! I'd also suggest it for any science class; teachers would love it. You're getting a full tour of Earth's history, not just the Mesozoic Era. And believe me, that's lot cooler than simply dinosaurs!
Wow, this book is GORGEOUS. I'm talking about illustrations that made me gasp on every page. Rachel Ignotofsky has done it again. Her art style is so unique and makes learning so much fun.
I'm giving this five stars because it's truly outstanding, but I want to be clear about what you can expect. Even though the title says it's about dinosaurs, it's much more than JUST about them. It's more like going on a full tour of Earth's history, from single-celled organisms to the first people. You get dinosaurs, but you also get a lot more. Instead of being a book just about dinosaurs, think of it as a chronology of evolution and geology that happens to include dinosaurs rather than a dedicated dino book.
The pace is just right, and the fascinating information had me say "What?!" all the time. I learned so much that I ended up delving down rabbit holes online to find out what experts think these extinct species looked like. This book makes you want to keep learning.
The illustrations might make you assume it's for kids, but I think this is excellent for kids who are 10 and older. There is a lot of information that smaller kids might find overwhelming... especially all the BIG words and names!
You have to have this if you love science! I'd also suggest it for any science class; teachers would love it. You're getting a full tour of Earth's history, not just the Mesozoic Era. And believe me, that's lot cooler than simply dinosaurs!
September 8, 2025
Having a young person in my life who has been obsessed with prehistoric creatures and Earth’s geologic past for more than 10 years, I have read a lot of books about dinosaurs, plate tectonics, fossils, mass extinctions, and megafauna. "Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time," written and illustrated by Rachel Ignotofsky, is one of the best earth science books for kids and adults I have ever read.
The title is misleading because the book covers so much more than dinosaurs. I can’t imagine any dinosaur-obsessed or science-loving kid not loving the vibrant and delightful illustrations. What really makes this book extraordinary is its respect for young readers’ curiosity and intelligence. Ignotofsky doesn't shy away from presenting science, challenging vocabulary, and all, which I appreciate immensely as a parent of a future paleontologist.
I highly recommend this book for anyone with a curiosity about Earth’s history and science. Even though my child is a little older, I will be purchasing this book to add to our library.
Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The title is misleading because the book covers so much more than dinosaurs. I can’t imagine any dinosaur-obsessed or science-loving kid not loving the vibrant and delightful illustrations. What really makes this book extraordinary is its respect for young readers’ curiosity and intelligence. Ignotofsky doesn't shy away from presenting science, challenging vocabulary, and all, which I appreciate immensely as a parent of a future paleontologist.
I highly recommend this book for anyone with a curiosity about Earth’s history and science. Even though my child is a little older, I will be purchasing this book to add to our library.
Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2025
A delightful introduction to dinosaurs and the broader eras from Earth's origin until now.
This book starts out from the origins to single-cell organisms all the way through modern times. In the middle, we get a full overview of the dinosaurs. Beautiful illustrations show us the creatures most common in each era, along with snippets of science and history.
Overall, the artwork and the facts are delightful. Although this is an ambitious project, which inevitably means it's a high-level overview, you can't help but be curious about what you learn. This book isn't dumbed down for children; they'll get to learn the real names and details, allowing them to explore even more for areas that capture their interest.
I definitely recommend this book for children and adults alike. It's a fun read and a great introduction to paleontology and related sciences.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
This book starts out from the origins to single-cell organisms all the way through modern times. In the middle, we get a full overview of the dinosaurs. Beautiful illustrations show us the creatures most common in each era, along with snippets of science and history.
Overall, the artwork and the facts are delightful. Although this is an ambitious project, which inevitably means it's a high-level overview, you can't help but be curious about what you learn. This book isn't dumbed down for children; they'll get to learn the real names and details, allowing them to explore even more for areas that capture their interest.
I definitely recommend this book for children and adults alike. It's a fun read and a great introduction to paleontology and related sciences.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
July 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Lux for providing me with a digital ARC.
I've been in a dinosaur mood since "Jurassic World Rebirth" came out, so I decided to theme our literacy night around dinosaurs and I'm just trying to study as much on dinosaurs.
Reading this book and viewing it made me feel like a kid all over again. The illustrations are beautiful and captivating; AI could never replace a real artist. Rachel Ignotofsky has done an incredible job weaving the information presented in this text alongside vibrant illustrations. Although there is a lot of information to cover, it never feels like a dull moment. I wish texts like this had been available in my school library. I'm eager to add this book to our library collection!
I've been in a dinosaur mood since "Jurassic World Rebirth" came out, so I decided to theme our literacy night around dinosaurs and I'm just trying to study as much on dinosaurs.
Reading this book and viewing it made me feel like a kid all over again. The illustrations are beautiful and captivating; AI could never replace a real artist. Rachel Ignotofsky has done an incredible job weaving the information presented in this text alongside vibrant illustrations. Although there is a lot of information to cover, it never feels like a dull moment. I wish texts like this had been available in my school library. I'm eager to add this book to our library collection!
August 7, 2025
I absolutely judged this book by its cover, and I���m so glad I did, because the inside is somehow even prettier. My love for dinosaurs (and my first brush with childhood trauma) began with The Land Before Time, and this book reignited that fascination in the best possible way.
Rachel Ignotofsky’s art is STUNNING. I kept flipping pages without realizing because I was too busy gawking like a bird spotting something shiny.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Would I trust small children with it? Absolutely not. This is a giftable book I’d buy for a friend and then keep for myself like a gremlin.
Thank you to NetGalley, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press, and Rachel Ignotofsky for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Rachel Ignotofsky’s art is STUNNING. I kept flipping pages without realizing because I was too busy gawking like a bird spotting something shiny.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Would I trust small children with it? Absolutely not. This is a giftable book I’d buy for a friend and then keep for myself like a gremlin.
Thank you to NetGalley, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press, and Rachel Ignotofsky for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 16, 2025
This is such a pretty book! I am a dinosaur nerd, and the paleoart here made me really happy! I also really enjoyed all of the historical stories and facts. (I am not an expert, but from what I saw it was correct!) Overall, a delightful read about dinosaurs! I did not expect this book to focus as much on history before dinos as it did, but that was wonderfully done as well.
Thanks to NetGalley, Rachel Ignotofsky, and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley, Rachel Ignotofsky, and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own.
October 17, 2025
This is a great educational and easily comprehensible guide to prehistoric life and early creatures. I loved how this was formatted in a chronological way that built up to the dinosaurs by taking an educational walk through early earth and the first signs of life. The illustrations were lovely and the color palette was very pretty. I really enjoyed this and I think it would be a great book to have for kids because it’s very easy to pick up and read a few pages and learn a lot!
I received an eARC thanks to Netgalley and Ten Speed Press, all opinions are my own.
I received an eARC thanks to Netgalley and Ten Speed Press, all opinions are my own.
August 22, 2025
The cover caught my attention immediately and the insides did not disappoint either. This book features captivating colorful full page illustrations. It goes through the different periods and eras of prehistory discussing geology, dinosaurs and evolution. A fun reference book to add to any readers shelf!
Thank you Ten Speed Press for this eARC through NetGalley!
Thank you Ten Speed Press for this eARC through NetGalley!
October 12, 2025
This is a very excited, wide-reaching epic that goes far beyond the same group of dinos that most books focus on. A great addition to any children's science collection.
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2025
OMG, what a great book! The artwork is fantastic and the science - French kiss! I’m looking forward to sharing with my middle school grandson who was really into dinosaurs when he was much younger .
November 4, 2025
this was such a fun read! Fantastic illustrations and super informative. It is a beautiful addition to my collection and I cannot wait to collect more books by this author. This would be a great book to read with a kid who loves dinosaurs!
August 4, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the eArc.
This book will take you on a journey from the origins of the Earth to our current era. I must say that it's not just about dinosaurs, and that section appears a little bit later in the book, which was a bit disappointing. It focuses more on evolution in general, which is still great, but I thought there would be a lot more dinosaurs.
The information is quite simple and clear, and the art and graphics make it a fun and colorful experience. I really liked the art style and the layout of the text, as it doesn't get lost and is easy to read.
This book will take you on a journey from the origins of the Earth to our current era. I must say that it's not just about dinosaurs, and that section appears a little bit later in the book, which was a bit disappointing. It focuses more on evolution in general, which is still great, but I thought there would be a lot more dinosaurs.
The information is quite simple and clear, and the art and graphics make it a fun and colorful experience. I really liked the art style and the layout of the text, as it doesn't get lost and is easy to read.
November 11, 2025
I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
First up, I appreciate a publisher adding a note to the ecopy that the quality of the illustrations aren’t the best. I have had way too many books without a warning and so I was delighted to see a warning. OK, also dreading reading it, because would it only be the illustrations or also the text? And how much text is in the illustrations that may be unreadable?
Well, I have to be honest and say that at least the main text is fine and even very clear which made me happy. Sadly, if the text is part of the illustrations it is hard to read to the point that I just kinda gave up at points, which is a shame. Plus, throughout the book some letters were missing in the text.
Now to the book! Sadly, if you come for the dinosaurs, you are going to get disappointed. The book is 128 pages, and it isn’t until halfway that we get dinosaurs. Yup. Around page 60 we are finally at the Permian period with starter dinosaurs, and it isn’t until page 67 that we are at the REAL dinosaurs. Yup. I was definitely disappointed. Oh, and then around page 99 we were done because then the dinosaurs were extinct. Yup. We get a total of around 38 pages of dinosaurs, 31 if you want to go for real dinosaurs. sighs I was quite excited at the start because I liked that the book started with a lesson on geography, on volcanoes, and on fossils and how they are made/what they are, then to mass extinction (there were 5 of those), evolution. But then we went through ALL of the timelines. And I have to say, I came for the dinosaurs. I love all the other timelines, and apparently the book does have a subtitle about the other timelines, but I think it would have been a better choice if the books sub-titles (now almost only shown on the cover and not on websites) are the main topic. So not Dinosaurs: insert subtitle that is almost never mentioned and that cover is just to small to see that subtitle, but Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time. Or just simpler Early Life and Dinosaurs. Or Dinosaurs and What Came Before. Now I was just getting bored because again, I came for dinosaurs. If I had known that half of the book was about non-dinosaurs? I wouldn’t have picked it up. If I had seen the subtitle I would have maybe considered it, though I am mostly a dinosaur girlie.
And while the book was fun, the writing style great and interesting, and the dinosaur parts fabulous, it just took too long. By the time we finally got to the dinosaurs my ADHD was full out of control and just didn’t want to read anymore, but I pushed through which well, led to me having less fun than if the book was entirely about dinosaurs (or if the title was a better indicator of other things).
The art was a lot of fun and super gorgeous (and also one of the reasons why I got this book), though it is just a shame it was of such terrible quality. I hope that in the published books it will be better. The note at the start promises that, but since I live in a Dutch country I can never truly check that.
So yeah, this could have been so much more, but I am not going to be able to rate it high because I am just too disappointed and my ADHD is grumpy because I had to continue reading.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
First up, I appreciate a publisher adding a note to the ecopy that the quality of the illustrations aren’t the best. I have had way too many books without a warning and so I was delighted to see a warning. OK, also dreading reading it, because would it only be the illustrations or also the text? And how much text is in the illustrations that may be unreadable?
Well, I have to be honest and say that at least the main text is fine and even very clear which made me happy. Sadly, if the text is part of the illustrations it is hard to read to the point that I just kinda gave up at points, which is a shame. Plus, throughout the book some letters were missing in the text.
Now to the book! Sadly, if you come for the dinosaurs, you are going to get disappointed. The book is 128 pages, and it isn’t until halfway that we get dinosaurs. Yup. Around page 60 we are finally at the Permian period with starter dinosaurs, and it isn’t until page 67 that we are at the REAL dinosaurs. Yup. I was definitely disappointed. Oh, and then around page 99 we were done because then the dinosaurs were extinct. Yup. We get a total of around 38 pages of dinosaurs, 31 if you want to go for real dinosaurs. sighs I was quite excited at the start because I liked that the book started with a lesson on geography, on volcanoes, and on fossils and how they are made/what they are, then to mass extinction (there were 5 of those), evolution. But then we went through ALL of the timelines. And I have to say, I came for the dinosaurs. I love all the other timelines, and apparently the book does have a subtitle about the other timelines, but I think it would have been a better choice if the books sub-titles (now almost only shown on the cover and not on websites) are the main topic. So not Dinosaurs: insert subtitle that is almost never mentioned and that cover is just to small to see that subtitle, but Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time. Or just simpler Early Life and Dinosaurs. Or Dinosaurs and What Came Before. Now I was just getting bored because again, I came for dinosaurs. If I had known that half of the book was about non-dinosaurs? I wouldn’t have picked it up. If I had seen the subtitle I would have maybe considered it, though I am mostly a dinosaur girlie.
And while the book was fun, the writing style great and interesting, and the dinosaur parts fabulous, it just took too long. By the time we finally got to the dinosaurs my ADHD was full out of control and just didn’t want to read anymore, but I pushed through which well, led to me having less fun than if the book was entirely about dinosaurs (or if the title was a better indicator of other things).
The art was a lot of fun and super gorgeous (and also one of the reasons why I got this book), though it is just a shame it was of such terrible quality. I hope that in the published books it will be better. The note at the start promises that, but since I live in a Dutch country I can never truly check that.
So yeah, this could have been so much more, but I am not going to be able to rate it high because I am just too disappointed and my ADHD is grumpy because I had to continue reading.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
November 11, 2025
I love that this book is not the same dinosaurs you see in every book. The art style is cute and there is a ton of information, but it is still easy to digest because of the format. I learned that manatees are older than mammoths and I was so excited to see the Steller Sea Cow in the list.
5 stars
5 stars
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