From Issue #71 Apr/May 2005
Our featured book for this issue, I give it our highest rating it for no other reason than the absolutely amazing, all new, John Sibbick artwork that fills it throughout (John told me he worked two years illustrating this book).
I asked our own Tracy Ford to help me with my review and Tracy says, "David E Fastovsky and David B Weishampel's
The Evolution and Extinction of the Dinosaurs 2nd edition from Cambridge University Press isn't a lay person s book, but a text book for Schools, Colleges and Universities I was disappointed in the art in the 1st edition as it was very cartoony. I later found out that the original artist (whom I won't name) backed out of it (me I would have moved heaven and earth to do it) and they had to get a new artist. But this one is 100 times better, the vast majority of art is by John Sibbick. That alone is reason to get the book. This book doesn't look like a 'normal' textbooks but more like a 'normal' dinosaur book. The chapters cover just about everything you can think of for paleontology. Climate, chemistry, clada-grams (maybe now I'll understand it), extinction, endo verse ecto-thermy, and each group of dinosaurs are addressed (among other things). The book is well written and is an easy read. The authors give 'both' views, so to speak, on many topics and don t take sides. I recommend this book and it should be in your libraries (personal and otherwise) " Tracy L Ford. Back to me, the book is written for non-specialists, with a detailed survey of dinosaur origins, diversity, and extinction covering important and timely topics in dinosaur paleobiology, such as 'warm-bloodedness, ' birds as dinosaurs, feathered dinosaurs, and cladistic methods in systematics. It truly treads the line between a scholarly presentation and a readable popular account as it is intended as a textbook for a college-level course It's so wonderful to have a complete dinosaur book for adults that can be understood by non-scientists. Both authors are authorities in the field (Weishampel edited Dinosauna) and definitely know their stuff. Highly recommended.
The Usborne Introduction to Archaeology: Internet-Linked by Abigail Wheatley, Struan Reid $22.95 Reading level Ages 9-12 Hardcover 128 pages Usborne Books ISBN 0794508065
An absolutely amazing, full color glossy overview of archaeology for young readers From before King Tut to the recent looting of the Iraq museum, young, up and coming archaeologists will relish this overview With directions to related internet sites, hours of interesting learning are ahead for its readers Quite an achievement!
Dinosaurs Of Italy (Life of the Past) by Cristiano Dal Sasso, $35 00 Hardcover 232 pages, Indiana University Press ISBN 0253345146
It's only been in the past decade that science has discovered there ever was a presence of dinosaurs in Italy, kicked off primarily by the amazing find of Scipionyx, the interesting little dinosaur fossil that appears to even include soft tissue (internal organs) preservation But now, as this book shows, a number of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animal fossils have also been discovered within the boundaries ot the "giant boot " From dinosaur footprints, the Trieste hadrosaurs and the recently found carnivore "saltosaur" to marine reptiles and pterosaurs such as the large shastasaund ichthyosaur Besanosaurus and ancient flying Eudimorphodon, Italy is becoming a virtual cornucopia of newly named prehistoric animals It also turns out that evidence of an incredible planetary catastrophe exists in the Italian town of Umbna that sheds light on the disappearance of the dinosaurs This interesting book includes fossil photographs and numerous illustrations The author is head of the Laboratory of Paleontology at the Museum of Natural History in Milan.
Fossil Legends of the First Americans by Adnenne Mayor, Pnnceton University Press
The author has searched the country looking for clues to how the Native Americans used and explained fossils of dinosaurs they must have found in their everyday lives What did they think of the skeletons of these amazing looking animals that they had never seen walking the planet. The author of The First Fossil Hunters (which your PT editor is proud to have helped illustrate for the television documentary) turns her attention from the ancient greeks to the first amencans in this new book due out in May 2005 with a great cover illustration by friend ol PT Pete Von Sholly and many illustrations within, this is one fascinating new book on a subject not tackled before German museum prehistoric animal sculptor and long time. PT subscriber Werner Kraus sent us a review copy of his book Einblicke in die Urzeit - Kraus Georeproduktion which shows in full color the many beautiful prehistoric creatures he has created over the years with a full explanation of each (unfortunately in German but the photos are well worth the price of admission ) Get your copy by sending 12 Euros or $12 to Werner Kraus, Heidring 31, Roetgen, Germany 52159
After the Ice : A Global Human History 20,000-5000 BC, by Steven Mithen 664 pages Harvard University Press ISBN 0674015703
In an easily read style, Mithen takes us back 15,000 years ago in a study of ice age man through various areas of the earth to study his every day life and progress over the next several thousand years Part history, part science, part time travel, "After the Ice" offers an evocative and uniquely compelling portrayal of diverse cultures, lives, and landscapes that laid the foundations of the modern world Pteranodon : The Life Story of a Pterosaur by Ruth Ashby, Phil Wilson (Illustrator) young readers Hardcover 32 pages Publisher Harry N Abrams (June 1, 2005) ISBN 08 10957787 $14 95
100 million years ago and the dinosaurs may rule the earth but pterosaurs rule the skies' Similar to the format of the Discovery Channel's Walking With Dinosaurs and Discovery Kids' Prehistoric Planet, this action-packed book tells the story of a young Pteranodon from its first flight, first hunt, and first near brush with death-evading raptors and a T rex-to finding a mate Based upon new studies and theories from the field, this brightly illustrated book (by good friend of PT Phil Wilson who sent us our copy) educates and entertains beautifully.
Exploring Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures series (Pterosaurs, Pelycosaurs, Archaeopteryx, Ichthyosaurs, Trilobites, Megatherium, Saber-Toothed Cats, Glyptodons, Crinoids and Blastoids, Plesiosaurs, Ammonids and Mammoths & Mastodons) by Susan Heinrichs Gray $27.07 each Ages 9-12 Hardcover 32 pages Publisher Child's World
With great front cover art by Todd Marshall (including our front cover art on this issue of PT for the Pelycosaurs book) , John Sibbick, Douglas Henderson and I'm extremely proud to say, 20 illustrations (but who's counting) from me, your PT editor and many other artists, this beautiful series kept me busy (and happy) drawing last summer Previously I reviewed the Child's World dinosaur series in PT that I also helped illustrate This new series of twelve more books covers many non-dinosaurian prehistoric animals I must say, that the author, while writing for young readers definitely does not talk down to them and did not hesitate to cover many of the latest discoveries and animals not seen often, if ever in similar books I was very impressed with the author that I worked with Anyway, these books are absolutely amazing looking and very detailed in their coverage, considering the age group they are aimed at Get your copies at www amazon com or directly through the publisher at www childsworld.com.
Pterosaurs : Rulers of the Skies in the Dinosaur Age by Caroline Arnold, Laune Caple (Illustrator), $16 00 For young readers Hardcover 40 pages Clarion Books ISBN 0618313540
We have reviewed this two woman team's tackling of Megalodon, feathered dinos, and woolly mammoths in three previous books, and now Arnold and Caple add another extinct creature to their repertoire One hundred million years ago, the skies were filled with enormous flying reptiles With wings spans up to nearly forty feet, pterosaurs were a major life form on earth. This overview of the flying reptiles covers the pterosaurs' evolution and extinction, physiology, behavior theories, and major fossil discoveries that scientists are continually making throughout the world. Included are descriptions of about 20 of the over 100 different pterosaur species known today. Caple's watercolors will draw kids into the subject. matter.
Robotic T-Rex Kit by Paul Beck Silver Dolphin Books $1795 ISBN 1 59223-2108
Build your very own T. Rex robot with this new combination book and toy kit with light-up eyes and a flashing tail in eight snap together parts (2 AAA batteries required) The included book teaches insights about the little-known connection between the study of dinosaurs and the development of robots Tyrannosaurus Rex once shook the earth with each step Now you get to build your very own walking version with flashing eyes and swinging tail While it may not shake the house with its motion it will teach you some interesting facts about dinosaurs and robots in the 32 page nicely illustrated book The book explores robots and the T rex - and what they have in common It s an up close, hands-on learning adventure, complete with a walking, stomping T rex An interesting idea but to be honest with you, I never could get the robotic dinosaur to work right.
We thanks the grand folks at Usborne publishing/ EDC for all the dinosaur items they sent us this time. The Usborne Box of Dinosaurs includes pieces for 6 dinosaur shaped jigsaws and comes in a handy carrying case box. Usborne 's Beginners Dinosaurs Kid Kits include not only a nicely illustrated dinosaur book but a soft vinyl Carnotaurus hand puppet for boys to terrorize their sisters with Both are
$9.95 each. Also from Usborne is the Dinosaur Snap Card game which includes illustrations by Todd Marshall and others Call out "Snap1" first enough times and win all the cards and the game For very young readers there's The Dinosaur in which preschool er learn what it was like to be a stegosaur during the Mesozoic (and if dinosaurs lived today) and lastly The Usborne Dinosaur Jigsaw Atlas is a large book in which every page is another dinosaur puzzle to be taken apart and put back together again, each showing a map of a different part of the world and the dinosaurs that once lived there Very nice artwork and very informative All good stuff to keep them kids happy!
Kids Draw Dinosaurs by Christopher Hart Price $10 95 Ages 9 12 Paperback Publisher Watson Guptill Publications ISBN 0823026892
Hart is a talented cartoon artist who shows kids (who care more about funny or dramatic cartoons than science) how to illustrate dinosaurs Beautiful full color pages with lots of different dinosaurs illustrated in a step by step process.
Meet The Dinosaurs - (Giant Meat-Eating Dinosaurs & Horned Dinosaurs) by Don Lessem Illustrated by John Bmdon, Lerner Publications Company
I reviewed a couple books from this series previously and now have received a couple more Don Lessem knows his dinosaur info and John Bmdon really knows how to illustrate them Tons of great information for young readers and absolutely fantastic art work for readers of all ages.
The highly anticipated 1933 King Kong Two-Disc Special Edition DVD is due November 2005 Special Features are scheduled to include 3 featurettes with Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tour of Jackson s personal Kong memorabilia, The Magic of Kong s Stop Motion Wizardry, The Mystery of the Spider sequence, Fascinating feature-length documentary on the Creator of King Kong, Menan C Copper, Interview with Peter Jackson on how King Kong influenced his filmmaking , Theatrical Trailers.
Dino Dung (Step Into Reading. Step 5) by Dr Karen Chin, Thorn Holmes, Karen Carr (Illustrator) $3 99 Ages 9-12 Paperback, Random House Books for Young Readers ISBN 0375827021 World-famous "Dung Detective' Dr Karen Chin explains how corprolites (a k a fossil feces) tell stories that bones cannot tell themselves — like which plants and animals lived together in the ancient past, who was eating whom, and how waste isn't bad, but is, in fact, a very important part of the process of living! Your library isn't complete without a book on dmo doo. Lots of facts inside with wonderful illustrations by Karen Carr You know your kids will LOVE the subject matter.
Andrew Simpson's latest dino comic is Prehistoric Manifesto Preview Issue which is exactly that, an issue packed with tease artwork (including some from yours truly) and story ideas from upcoming issues Cool cover by J A Chinnos. Nice stuff Get yours at www.trilobitecomics.com.
