Dinosaur Empire!: Journey through the Mesozoic Era

Earth Before Us #1

by Abby Howard

Travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs in Abby Howard’s Dinosaur Empire!: Journey Through the Mesozoic Era , first in the hit nonfiction graphic novel series about prehistoric Earth!

Ronnie is just a normal fifth grader trying to pass her science class’s impossible quiz on the history of dinosaurs . . . until she runs into her neighbor—Ms. Lernin, a retired paleontologist. Ronnie and Ms. Lernin travel back through time to experience the age of the dinosaurs firsthand.

They visit three important time periods of the Mesozoic the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. Along the way, Ronnie finds herself face-to-face with real-life dinosaurs and reptiles, like Stegosauruses, Velociraptors, and Thalattosaurs. She learns the differences between herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, as well as between dinosaurs, insects, and reptiles.

This hilarious and fact-filled graphic novel brings the age of the dinosaurs to life and shows the important effects this era had on our world today.

The Earth Before Us
Dinosaur Empire!: Journey Through the Mesozoic Era (#1)
Ocean Renegades!: Journey Through the Paleozoic Era (#2)
Mammal Takeover!: Journey Through the Cenozoic Era (#3)

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Science, History, Dinosaurs, Middle Grade

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2017

About the author

Abby Howard grew up in North Carolina and has been drawing comics since age 13, spending her summers locked away in her room working on one project or another. She attended McGill University and studied Evolutionary Biology, but after being a contestant on the web reality show Strip Search, was able to follow her dreams of becoming a cartoonist, and ditched all that book learnin'.

She's worked as a full-time cartoonist for nearly a decade, publishing collections of both The Last Halloween and the now-retired Junior Scientist Power Hour webcomics as well as the educational book series, Earth Before Us. Iron Circus Comics has just published her first collection of short horror comics, The Crossroads At Midnight.

Abby recently made her debut in video games, having founded a game studio, Black Tabby Games, with her spouse Tony Howard-Arias. Together, they're working on Scarlet Hollow, an episodic horror game co-written and fully illustrated by Abby Howard.

Reviews

[Caroline]

For dinosaur enthusiasts only. Ronnie is struggling in the dinosaur unit in science class when she stumbles upon her neighbor, Miss Lernin, sitting in a recycling bin. It turns out Miss Lernin is a dinosaur expert, and her recycling bin is a portal to the past. To help Ronnie improve her grade in science, Miss Lernin takes her with her through the portal.

Of the two characters, I most enjoyed Miss Lernin. She's cute, sporting a red dress with a dinosaur-skull graphic and exuding energetic enthusiasm throughout. I also loved how author and illustrator Abby Howard drew her characters with facial expressions that synced well with their words.

Time-travel stories are often easy to enjoy, and Howard's approach is a fun way to present what can be dry historical (or scientific) information—but Dinosaur Empire! isn't as accessible as it should be. Dinosaurs fascinate me, and for most of the book I paid close attention to the details; however, eventually all the information became too extensive to fully absorb. The author exhaustively detailed dinosaurs—each kind (and there are many more than I realized)—along with information about when they lived, what they ate, the climate at the time, and what the planet looked like (Pangaea, etc.). Much of it is interesting, especially the climate parts, but it's surprising that Howard expected the lay reader to keep all this information straight.

Howard's illustrations at least enhance all the information nicely, especially because she drew so many dinosaurs with feathers. This differs from most popular dinosaur renderings but makes sense given dinosaurs' connection to birds. Beneath each name is the phonetic pronunciation, a smart detail that makes the book child-friendly.

All in all, I did learn some things, but I can't recommend Dinosaur Empire! to the lay reader. I do heartily recommend it to obsessed dinosaur-lovers. Bonus for them: It's book one in a set of three.

NOTE: This review is cross-posted on The Story Graph.

[Rockwell]

There are two things I love about this book.

The first is that it picks its key messages really well. This is a story about ecological niches, and how completely different groups of living things evolve the same features over and over to fill the same niches over and over. There are loads of books about how dinosaurs are different from the life we see around us today, but Dinosaur Empire shines because it shows how - and why - dinosaurs were different from each other.

The second thing I love about this book is that that entire premise is clearly an excuse - a well thought-out and executed excuse, but an excuse nonetheless - for a mad keen art nerd to sit down draw a whole lot of different dinosaurs. It works, because showing loads of dinosaurs is exactly how you'd go about illustrating that message, but it's really obvious that the deep desire to draw dinosaurs came first and I love this book for that so much.

[Lucy Wyse]

Choice book 2 Quarter 2

Dinosaur Empire is a pretty good book because it teaches you about dinosaurs in a fun and interesting way. Dinosaur Empire is about this girl named Ronnie who fails this dinosaur quiz and is really embarrassed so she has to study hard to get a better grade on the make up. On her way home she runs into her neighbor Ms. Lernin, a former paleontologist. Ronnie and Ms. Lernin go back in time and see what it was like in the Mesozoic era, the Triassic era, the Jurassic era, and the Cretaceous era. While Ronnie goes back in time to the different era's she realizes that all animals, even the mean ones (like wasps) are all helpful in the ecosystem.

[Madeleine R]

I love. Dinosaurs. so much. SOoooo much. but when you're looking for information on dinosaurs past the point of "oh they maybe had feathers" it can be such an overwhelming thing to try and throw yourself into. But this book is absolutely perfect at explaining concepts simply and providing information on dinosaurs in an easy to understand way, especially on the non dinosaur species that existed at the same time. Seriously, this book attacks concepts that my AP textbooks make hard to understand. By telling the story through the eyes of a fifth grader and the eccentric dinosaur nerd teacher who i'd love to meet it captures that "magic school bus" vibe and seriously sparks the want to learn and read so much. I. Love. this book. The art is also AMAZING and has so many visual gags, making it fun for not only kids I assume but the high school senior dinosaur obsessed kid. As they travel throughout the timeperiods of the earth they encounter different animals, each accurately represented in this amazing book. Seriously guys, pick up a copy.

[Beatriz a dragon lover]

Roar! Dinosaurs infos about more than 20 fascinating prehistoric reptiles!

[Hannah]

RAHHHHHHH 🦅🦖🦅🦖🦅 WHAT THE FUCK IS A TYRANNOSAUR🦖🦅🦖🦅🦖

[Mehsi]

Let's travel back in time to meet some dinosaurs, and some not dinosaurs. Find out how things evolved, how the world changed, and much more.

I just adore dinosaurs (though I must say I much prefer the creatures as they were when I was a kid, aka, big, scary, scaly and not hairy/feathery, cute, tiny, etc. (like the velociraptor for instance). It just totally destroys dinosaurs for me. I know that with each discovery I should be happy, but in fact I am getting less and less interested in dinosaurs. :( ), so I just had to get this book.

Back when it was first announced I thought it would be a picture book, but later it was said it was going to be a graphic novel. Which made everything even better. Even with feathery dinosaurs, I just wanted to read this book.

A little girl (I also wonder who the hell worries about college at that age + thinking she is not going to get into it because of one zero, or is it something American?) fails her test. While walking back home she passes the house of the (in)famous Miss Lernin. The lady hears about the test, and being the dinosaur/and no-so-dinosaur expert, she invites the girl with her to a journey. And thus begins their adventure. They are of course protected (well for most) by Science Magic (which had me in stitches as it just sounds so hilarious).

I really loved both the girl and the lady. I am all with the girl on the wasp killing by the way. I would have done the same if I could. Brrr, wasps. I don't care that they may be useful, they are generally an aggressive rotten bunch. Plus I just loved how the girl tried to smuggle all sorts of creatures with her (Sylvvviiiaaaa!). The woman sure was enthusiastic and I loved that. Those people are the best teachers.

Extra points go to providing the pronunciations of the names. Sure, it was a bit distracting at times, but I thought it was a nice touch. This way people know how to pronounce the names.

The Cool Animals From Other Times part was also a fun addition.

The art was fabulous, but then again it is Abby Howard and I just adore her artwork (another reason why I bought this book). While, again, I am not a fan of new dinosaurs (poor T-rex, poor velociraptor, poor other creatures), I still liked how Abby drew them. Plus the expressions on both the girl and the lady's faces were often priceless and had me laughing (and cheering because of their enthusiasm).

I had a laugh at the ending: "Never fear, when next you need to unravel the mysteries of the past, I'll be here. Except on Saturday afternoons, that's when I have book club." :P

All in all, I hope that there will be more graphic novels by Abby Howard, because I want more!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Herman Diaz]

Like The Magic School Bus, but better ( www.amazon.com/review/R17ZWNPWDUKZWI/... ): 5/5

I was originally planning on reviewing Howard's "Dinosaur Empire! (Earth Before Us #1): Journey through the Mesozoic Era" (henceforth DE) the way I usually review good dino books. However, I then remembered that Witton's DE review is so perfect (especially when it comes to outlining "why the Earth Before Us books are so terrific": https://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2... ) that I can't possibly top it, so I won't even try. Instead, in this review, I'll point you to Witton's DE review & add my own thoughts as well:
-DE reminds me of Cole's "The Magic School Bus" books in 2 major ways: 1) Ronnie/Ms. Lernin's dynamic is similar to that of Arnold/Ms. Frizzle, but better (I.e. There are no other characters to distract from the story); 2) DE's "smart narrative device" is similar to that of Cole's books, but better (I.e. It's less theatrical & more direct). As you may remember, the characters & story are major reasons why Cole's books are so much better than the "Magic School Bus" show (See reasons #1 & 3: www.deviantart.com/jd-man/journal/Rev... ).
-To add to the "Magic School Bus" analogy, DE's "Learning Centre" reminds me of the reports in Cole's books. More specifically, both "explain a major concept of biology or palaeontology, but otherwise [the characters] move through time and space with pace and fluidity."
-In reference to "the interpretations [Howard presents being] accurate to modern science", it's worth mentioning that there are a few weird bits in the text (E.g. Deinocheirus is referred to as a herbivore) & paleoart (E.g. Tsintaosaurus is depicted with the outdated phallic crest). Otherwise, Witton's right.
-It's also worth mentioning that DE fills a very important role as a great natural history of dinos for older kids. There have been several great natural histories of dinos for younger kids & adults in recent years (E.g. Chuang/Yang's "THEM: Age Of Dinosaurs" & Norell's "The World of Dinosaurs: An Illustrated Tour", respectively: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3528027045 ), but nothing great for older kids since the 1990s.

[Liz]

Dinosaur Empire! takes fifth-grader Ronnie (and all of its readers) on a magical and informative journey through the Mesozoic Era. The story begins as Ronnie is walking home past retired paleontologist Miss Lernin’s house. Miss Lernin pops her head out of her recycling bin and offers to teach Ronnie about dinosaurs. All Ronnie has to do is climb into the recycling bin with her for an “immersive” lesson.

Because it’s a graphic novel, Ronnie jumps into the recycling bin without hesitation (yuck!). She discovers that the recycling bin is actually a Time Tunnel that will transport her and Miss Lernin back to dinosaur times. They travel using “Science Magic” (this magic also protects them from harm and lets them breathe underwater – I knew I should have studied science in university instead of music!).

And so begins their travels through the three main periods of the Mesozoic Era, with a few stops at Miss Lernin’s Learning Center along the way. They meet all of the dinosaurs I can name, and many, many I’ve never heard of!

I have to say, I LOVE Miss Lernin! If we all had the same passion for our chosen careers as she does, the world would be a happy and enthusiastic place. When she successfully teaches Ronnie the concept of phylogenetic trees, excitement screams from her fist-pump to her announcement that phylogenetic trees are awesome!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. We’ll be watching for the next book in the Earth Before Us series. What a great way to learn science! Dinosaur Empire! was a fabulous start to the series.

[Robbi C]

I received this as an e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

As a librarian, I know so many kiddos that LOVE dinosaurs, my own child included, and that the age range spans several ages. So, I was super excited to see this, especially since *I* love graphic novels.

This Magic School Bus meets graphic novel for older readers is a fabulous concept...
But, sadly, this one lost me early, while we were still in the Triassic. :(

Here's why:
I had a hard time buying the story that this kid is walking home talking aloud about how badly they did on the test topic, which just so happens to be what their eccentric neighbor specializes in, who just happens to be in her magic recycling bin at that moment and offers her services. It felt a bit like a very convenient means to an end, like they had the concept for traveling back in time and learning about dinosaurs all mapped out (and well!) but just threw this in as a way a to get to that point. It felt a bit rushed.

Then, once they time-travel in the magic recycling bin, this graphic novel is so incredibly packed with information that, at times, the speech bubbles look as if they're going to burst from the panels. And while there is dialogue, it still feels like someone took a textbook and adapted it to a graphic novel format often.

So for me, it was just okay.

That being said, I absolutely think this graphic novel will have appeal to many readers. Kids who love dinosaurs will likely eat this up. And I really do love having some good non-fic graphic novels on my shelves!

[Ryan]

This is a very educational, but kind of boring graphic novel about Dinosaurs. The concept is that the neighbor lady has a special recycling bin that contains her whiteboard and the ability to travel through time. And since she is a paleontologist she is going to help our kid study for his dinosaur test. This is a galley copy so everything is black and white. I would love to see it colorized in the final version. The book is very dense. I would say 4th grade and up. Lots of talking and lots of information. In fact there are more words than illustrations per page, which is unusual for a graphic novel.

[Renee]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Four stars.
This was a very cute, very informative and educational and entertaining graphic novel. I have given it four stars based off slightly different standards than I use for typical novels etc. Graphic novels are in a league of their own and thus deserve their own ratings. Firstly, the illustrations. I would give the illustrations in this book five stars. They were excellent. All the things I like. Colourful, cute, and very well done. Particularly the illustrations of the dinosaurs and all the other living things written about in this book. You will have to read it to find out what I mean, but what I would have lumped all under the “dinosaur” label, definitely aren’t all dinosaurs. The story could have been a bit better, I liked that science magic kept them safe and let them explore, but I believe a little danger would have added some tension and interest to the story. Anyway, it’s written for kids, not adults like me. So that’s probably why it was written that way. It was definitely an absolutely fantastic way to learn more about dinosaurs. I learned a lot and I didn’t think my dinosaur knowledge was particularly lacking, at least in comparison to the general public. I did think that when my kids are a bit older, they will absolutely love this book series, particularly my son. So I did purchase them for my kids. I think it would also be fun to revisit it later. It’s an amazing resource also, not just to learn about dinosaurs, but about the entire time period in which they existed. We got information on mammals, birds, insects, the underwater world, plants and trees and flowers, and all the other dinosaur adjacent creatures. On top of this, there is a lesson throughout about evolution and how it works, how different species were created (including human’s earliest mammalian ancestors) and much more. I mean this was a lot of amazing information packaged in a cute, entertaining and informative easy to read and aesthetically pleasing package. Yeah I don’t have much more to say, but if you have kids that like dinosaurs or just like learning, or even you do yourself, give this a go. I don’t think you will be disappointed!

[MechaComicReviews]

Earth Before Us: Dinosaur Empire! is definitely not the scientific interpretation of dinosaurs many people grew up with as kids. Instead, Abby Howard goes with the current research in dinosaur paleontology, but often admits even some of the theories she depicts in the educational graphic novel are still under debate. Howard’s book is extremely informative while also being clever and funny.

The biggest thing people will notice in this book is how a lot of dinosaurs in cooler climates or other similar animals had proto-feathers, making that Jurassic Park interpretation of full on scaly reptiles a thing of the past. Howard also explains convergent evolution, which is extremely helpful to understand why similar looking species are completely different biologically. She breaks up each era of dinosaurs and other animals into different categories like bugs, plants, carnivores, herbivores, flying animals, and under the sea. It provides an excellent format to keep things organized and to help younger readers draw connections between the different eras.

Howard’s art is charming, fun, humorous, and the animal figures are excellent. She imbues a wholesome adventure while dispensing a lot of information. The book is easily approachable for all audiences without sacrificing or dumbing down the science. Dinosaur Empire is a treat from start to finish, and I’m excited to read the second volume. This one has definitely earned its spot on my shelf.

[Travis]

So many cute, fuzzy dinosaurs! I've read some of Abby's webcomics, so the inclination to read this slowly percolated into my head. I'm not sure why I wasn't more excited about it, since I enjoy her humor and I love dinosaurs.

This is a fun little romp through the Mesozoic. I felt I was pretty knowledgeable about this period, but there was still a lot that surprised me. For one, there is a surprising diversity of pterosaurs from fairly early (the first period they visit is late Triassic and there are already a bundle of them). Secondly, I knew that crocodilians were much more diverse and filled important niches, especially in the Triassic, but I was surprised how their diversity persisted throughout the Mesozoic. I also didn't realize how much changeover was going on in the seas, with ichthyosaurs going extinct by the mid-Cretaceous, and mosasaurs becoming dominant organisms somewhat later.

Ultimately, I think I might want a copy of this book, if only to admire all the cute fluffy dinosaurs. I'm also curious what is planned for the future. This does bear the title Earth Before Us #1. What will be in #2 and beyond, and will they all be by the same author/artist? I think a book about all the interesting things that evolved between the time of the dinosaurs and now would be pretty cool.

[American Mensa]

Dinosaur Empire is a book about a fifth grader named Ronnie who bombs her science test about dinosaurs. On her way home from school, her retired paleontologist neighbor, Mrs. Lernin, pops her head out of a recycling bin and asks her what’s wrong. Ronnie tells her about the less than stellar score. Together, they travel back to the Age of Dinosaurs to learn first-hand about prehistoric creatures who defined the Mesozoic Era. Will Ronnie ace the next test?

I loved this book because at first, when Ronnie fails her quiz, she throws the paper into a recycling bin because she doesn’t want to show her parents a zero out of ten. Then Mrs. Lernin steps in, showing her a whole new ancient world. Once Ronnie visits the dinosaur times, she starts to believe in herself. She grows so much mentally on this adventure, that by the end of the book, she loves dinosaurs and wants to retake the quiz. I love this book for showing readers how to persevere.

I give this book a 5 out of five stars. I learned a lot about the three periods that make up the Mesozoic Era: the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous by reading this graphic novel. I devoured this book in one sitting, and you most likely will too. This was an excellent book, and I am hoping for a sequel.
Reviewed by Levi M., Age 11, Denver Mensa

[Kat]

⭐ 4.75/5 ⭐

Dinosaur Empire is the first in a series of graphic novels about prehistoric life. Aimed at children (middle grade), it is a wonderfully fun and informative summary of the mesozoic era.

- The artwork is sublime and I loved how all the creatures were portrayed with both scientific accuracy (for 2017, the time of publication) and stunning visuals. It made the text more engaging and exciting.

- The science is great and the author consulted with well known paleontologists to make sure facts and information were as correct as could be.

- So of course dinosaurs are the biggest feature but I loved how all the mesozoic animals were covered including pseudosuchians, pterosaurs, mammals, marine life, plants and insects. Each time period covered explored all these groups and how they changed and evolved. I also really enjoyed how many lesser know species were included and given spot lights (along with each organism have its name shown phonetically).

A bright, very thorough for the age group and enjoyable book. I would recommend not just to children but to anyone who enjoys prehistoric life and paleoart.

[✨Neena✨]

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN
BOYS AND GIRLS
WE HAVE THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BEST HISTORIC SERIES OF ALL TIME

Okay so I finally see the origins of our two main characters, Ms. Lernin (( The incredibly awesome and funny person I wish I had as a teacher )) and Ronnie (( Who is just so real )). SO YAY

Also I read this in September BUT WE IGNORE THAT

Dinos -> land
Land -> Dinos evolve
Dinos evolve -> more species of Dinos
More species of Dinos -> more content in this book
More content in this book -> the more I enjoy it
The more I enjoy it -> I want to read the third one (( which I just found out 3 seconds ago that there was a third one as I am writing this review ))
I want to read the third one (( which I just found out 3 seconds ago that there was a third one as I am writing this review )) -> Another five star book
Another five star book -> me post review
me post review -> me happy

Yup that's it that's the review

[Darcy Roar]

The black and white copy I received was less exciting than the few color pages I've seen of this book, but still super exciting. It's manages to be both informative and quite funny. What I like best about this work is that it closes the gap in dinosaur nonfiction from the basic color photo style books with minimal information and the overly dense books with fewer pictures. It has a lot of specialized terminology but the dialogue does a good job of reinforcing the terms several times. The graphic format feels very approachable for readers who are into dinosaurs, but not so into them they want to read the more informative books without as many pictures. Also It's hilarious! I'm stoked to put this book in some upper elementary and middle school hands in August.

[Pchu]

I was very excited about this book because I love Abby Howard's work, and I would have bought this for the drawings alone. I think it's a good and clear introduction to how paleontology works as well as the types of animals and evolutionary relationships it is trying to present, but on the whole it's a bit information heavy so I wonder if some younger kids (the target audience...?) would get bored or overwhelmed. I had some other minor quibbles with the book, but I absolutely cannot argue with the classification of so many Mesozoic animals as "cute", especially small crocodylomorphs.

Since this is "Earth Before Us #1", I do hope to see more from this series. Maybe the Permian at some point?

[Anne]

3.5 stars
This is Magic School Bus in detailed graphic novel format. 126 pages of detail, in fact. If you are looking for solid science information and pictures about the dinosaurs and other creatures of that era, this is a good book to pick up.
The student that goes on the journey of learning has dark skin, which is great if we are thinking "let's get more diversity in books." However, she is initially shown as having gotten 0% on her quiz about dinosaurs, so I really struggle with what that portrays even though she learns a lot and is obviously really bright. Oh the fine line we must walk. Why couldn't the teacher/paleontologist have been the one with the dark skin??? Anyway, other than that, solid info, good pictures.
Grades K-8

[Richard]

Child-Me would have devoured this book over and over and over and over again while obsessing over the details and name pronunciations. Adult-Me mostly smiles at how much Child-Me would have loved this book, while loving it myself. I'm a big fan of Abby Howard's art style and I really like her representations of various Mesozoic era creatures. The book itself is very dense, but I think lays out the information in an easily digestible way (she goes through each period in chronological order and also through each sub-type of animal in order so that everything builds on itself throughout the book) and repeats concepts that might be a bit difficult to grasp at first depending on the reader.

It also ends with an absolutely adorable and fuzzy Tyrannosaurus Rex.

[Sarah]

I wanted to like this and perhaps a kid would like this, but as an adult I just found it boring and a bit dense. It didn't do a very good job of explaining concepts like the various eras and it packed a LOT of information onto each page which was a bit visually overwhelming. More white space and bigger drawings to illustrate big concepts would have been better. Maybe a REALLY dinosaur obsessed kid wouldn't care, but if I'm an adult and I find it too much, I think most young kids would tune out as well.

[Sarah]

My son, who is obsessed with dinosaurs, spotted this on the library shelf and immediately wanted to check it out and bring it home. He absolutely loved this book (he's six) between the information given and the illustrations. As a parent/adult, I really liked how this book tackled some of the misconceptions brought about by old science/the Jurassic Park films. Upon finishing, he immediately asked if there was another one (since it looks like the first in a larger series), and I said I hope so.

[Amanda]

Comparisons to Bill Nye and Magic School Bus are appropriate here. Packed with information and up-to-date enough for exacting dinosaur fans in upper elementary grades, it's a volume to be savored and revisited with the full-color illustrations showing careful attention to the build of these prehistoric creatures. Don't let the wacky intro deter you - this is as packed with information as any more traditional nonfiction dinosaur title. It is layered with a healthy dose of humor, often provided by the punnily named Miss Lernin.

[Dakota Morgan]

Fascinating and riveting! Fully expected this to be a dumbed down exploration of dinosaur times, but it is not. It is complex and probably more difficult than it's target audience is ready for. But I'm not the target audience! So I'm pleased with the excess of information that Abby Howard provides. And I loved the illustrations - Howard is masterful at mixing in humor through her character's expressions. Dinosaur Empire! is as detailed as a textbook, but as fun as a comic book. Solid mix.

[Joshua]

I love dinosaurs. I'm never sure if there is more good and comprehensive information about dinosaurs now or if I just missed out on it as a kid. This book does a good job of creating a framework for understanding the long history of dinosaurs in the context of tectonic and environmental changes, even to the point of giving context on things like the plants and insects (admittedly not the thing most kids get excited about when thinking about dinosaurs).
Besides the useful facts and all, the humor and pacing of the storytelling was a lot of fun.

[Stephanie]

Wow did I love this graphic novel about dinosaurs! Not only was it a fun and easy to read format, but I learned a whole lot about evolution, different types of dinosaurs (and other early reptiles and creatures, and the Mesozoic era! I also loved that the types of dinosaurs and style of drawing fit well with more recent discoveries made by paleontologists. This actually paired very well with The Rise and Fall of Dinosaurs, an adult nonfiction book I read this summer. Love it, will definitely read the others in the series!

[Kayla]

Definitely only for the dinosaur obsessed. This book is super fact heavy, so much so that I found my eyes glossing over at points because dinosaurs are not really my topic of choice, and you have to be really INTO dinosaurs to want the level of detail this book provides. That being said, if you get this in the hands of the right reader, they will EAT IT UP. The scientific explanations are thorough, the drawings are amazingly detailed and beautiful, and every animal is labeled with their scientific name and a phonetic pronunciation guide.

[Lois Arias]

Abby Howard captures the imagination of the young and old with her latest tome Dinosaur Empire. Through her wonderful artwork and clever storyline she covers the Mesozoic Era in a unique way. This girl sure knows her dinosaurs and the reader gets quite an education amidst the entertaining and beautifully drawn images and well-written text. It reminds me of The Magic Schoolbus and I'm sure Miss Frizzle is proud. I highly recommend this book for children of all ages.

[William Tracy]

This is the best dinosaur book I've read! I wish I had this when I was growing up. It goes through the evolution of the dinosaurs (AKA birds) and surrounding creatures like crocodilids, pleisiosaurs, snakes, lizards, turtles, and mammals.
Plus, this includes a fun story about a kid who needs to learn about dinosaurs to do well on her next quiz, and mixed with Abby Howard's amazing humor, this is a must-read for anyone who enjoys learning about dinosaurs (AKA birds...)