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Dinosaurs Of The Land, Sea And Air
Looks at the everyday life of the dinosaurs--searching for food, fleeing from predators, protecting their young, and seeking shelter.
- GenresChildrens
237 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 14, 2025
Rather than a field guide, this is a group of illustrated xenofiction stories, each centred around a different dinosaur mesozoic archosaur DIAPSID, notably not including T. rex. Each story follows its subject during a brief episode in life, interacting with other species and struggling to survive. The selection mixes "classic" animals like Allosaurus, Brontosaurus (valid name btw) and Triceratops, with more unusual choices like Dimorphodon and Mamenchisaurus. Strangely, it doubles up on two sauropods and two ceratopsians. The last few pages feature a non-fiction section with skeletons of each animal featured.
There are several different artists, of differing styles. Doreen Edwards' is quite colourful, but I found the posing a little flat and stiff:
Richard Payne's is more realistic and detailed:
Colin Newman has my favourite style of the bunch. Lots of moody and atmospheric lighting:
and this cute picture of a Brontosaurus emerging from a watering hole with drying mud on its back:
There are several different artists, of differing styles. Doreen Edwards' is quite colourful, but I found the posing a little flat and stiff:
Richard Payne's is more realistic and detailed:
Colin Newman has my favourite style of the bunch. Lots of moody and atmospheric lighting:
and this cute picture of a Brontosaurus emerging from a watering hole with drying mud on its back:
November 11, 2012
...
Mommy's review from 3/13/10)
Julia adores this book - she loves anything that involves dinosaurs so I knew she'd get into it but how much she got into it surprised me. My daughter isn't five yet and this is for older kids. Taking a guess I'd say it's maybe geared for about 8 year olds but that's strictly a guess.
The illustrations are good - nothing insanely impressive but good. I can't say there is anything "graphic" but maybe on the low end of graphic. A few illustrations depicted dinosaurs fighting, maybe a Triceratops slashing a T-Rex's leg and it'll show the blood or the dinosaur limping away. My daughter is used to this because she knows more about the subject than the average 5 year old. Since she's watched adult shows on t.v. about dinosaurs she already knows this is just a fact that comes along with the subject.
The wording itself - definitely not for a five year old. I had to phrase some things a little more clearly. Luckily Julia's vocabulary is a little above average and this helped a lot.
This wouldn't interest the average toddler who likes dinosaurs but once the kid gets a little older it's a great book. IMO, the writing level could have been brought down a notch or two being that it is a childrens book.
Each chapter detailed a different dinosaurs and while they did have the dinos everyone knows like the T-Rex and Triceratops, they also had a few lesser known dinos, like the Hypsilophodon (not sure if I spelled that right - the book isn't here in front of me.)
Each chapter took this one animal through a day in it's life, the fear of being preyed upon was shown, eating habits, the habits of the herd, mating and laying eggs, it was all touched upon at least once.
At the end of the book they have a fantastic section full of facts. Not really the kind of thing you'd sit down and read to your child but Julia likes to pick it up once in awhile and ask about a certain dino and hear what's in the book.
Update 11/11/12 -
Julia still reads this years later. It's sitting with a bookmark in it right now on her bedside table. Definitely, definitely a must-get for any young dino lover.
Mommy's review from 3/13/10)
Julia adores this book - she loves anything that involves dinosaurs so I knew she'd get into it but how much she got into it surprised me. My daughter isn't five yet and this is for older kids. Taking a guess I'd say it's maybe geared for about 8 year olds but that's strictly a guess.
The illustrations are good - nothing insanely impressive but good. I can't say there is anything "graphic" but maybe on the low end of graphic. A few illustrations depicted dinosaurs fighting, maybe a Triceratops slashing a T-Rex's leg and it'll show the blood or the dinosaur limping away. My daughter is used to this because she knows more about the subject than the average 5 year old. Since she's watched adult shows on t.v. about dinosaurs she already knows this is just a fact that comes along with the subject.
The wording itself - definitely not for a five year old. I had to phrase some things a little more clearly. Luckily Julia's vocabulary is a little above average and this helped a lot.
This wouldn't interest the average toddler who likes dinosaurs but once the kid gets a little older it's a great book. IMO, the writing level could have been brought down a notch or two being that it is a childrens book.
Each chapter detailed a different dinosaurs and while they did have the dinos everyone knows like the T-Rex and Triceratops, they also had a few lesser known dinos, like the Hypsilophodon (not sure if I spelled that right - the book isn't here in front of me.)
Each chapter took this one animal through a day in it's life, the fear of being preyed upon was shown, eating habits, the habits of the herd, mating and laying eggs, it was all touched upon at least once.
At the end of the book they have a fantastic section full of facts. Not really the kind of thing you'd sit down and read to your child but Julia likes to pick it up once in awhile and ask about a certain dino and hear what's in the book.
Update 11/11/12 -
Julia still reads this years later. It's sitting with a bookmark in it right now on her bedside table. Definitely, definitely a must-get for any young dino lover.
November 21, 2016
Educational and entertaining; this kid at heart loved it.
(The Allosaurus picture was hideous, though.)
(The Allosaurus picture was hideous, though.)
April 23, 2018
Very informative, with creative and visually appealing illustrations.
July 8, 2024
My favorite dinosaur guidebook from childhood!
January 20, 2025
Absolutely fantastic book, first chapter is a tug on the heart strings. Characters are easy to love, emotional story telling is exquisite!!
March 8, 2015
Beautifully illustrated but terribly outdated, even for the time it was published. It features a chapter on the Brontosaurus and even facts on it, when in fact there is no Brontosaurus that ever existed. It also assumes air and sea creatures are dinosaurs when they are not. Great book for kids otherwise. Awesome pics, and stories that add depth to the dino's lives.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews