Dinosaurs

April 15, 2016
Grades 4-8 Reed and Flood's entry in the Science Comics series traces the history of paleontology as much as it covers dinosaurs. Beginning with some speculation about ancient cultures' interpretation of dinosaur fossils, Flood and Reed go on to explain how industrialization, with all its new construction, led to the sudden wealth of fossil discoveries. A flurry of fossil finds by some dynamic characters follows, and as scientific theories become more complex, so, too, do the dinos. Flood's dinosaurs are very up-to-dateevery velociraptor has feathers, for instanceand though a few layout decisions make the information a bit muddy, the wealth of diagrams, maps, and detailed illustrations are engrossing. The ultimate lesson is that scientific discoveries are never static, and reevaluating long-held beliefs about the world is essential to scientific progress. Amid a glossary, notes, and further reading suggestions, one of Reed and Flood's appendixes bears that out. Just before the book was printed, one of their facts was debunked by a new discovery, so they include an update. Aspiring scientists of all stripes will be charmed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
This topic gets the graphic-novel treatment. Flood's detailed panel illustrations cover a lot of ground, including nineteenth-century dinosaur hunters; nomenclature practice; and various geological, evolutionary, and paleontological discoveries. There's some humor along with a solid presentation of facts, and the clean design helps makes the information accessible; the somewhat advanced content makes the book most appropriate for upper-elementary-age readers. Reading list. Glos.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

May 1, 2016

Gr 4-7-Engaging glimpses into big chunks of current and historical science topics. While older students might understand the text more, the subject matter of both books has wide appeal for the elementary set and fits in with both elementary and middle school science curricula. Narrated by a spunky little fish, Coral Reefs provides a tour of the life that exists around these important aquatic "cities," from jelly fish to octopuses, and explains how photosynthesis keeps the whole system up and running. Author and illustrator Wicks's experience shines through with accurate facts and appealing, colorful drawings. Dinosaurs explores various important paleontological discoveries, from William Smith (1769-1839), who made significant geological findings while building canals in England, to Mary Anning (1799-1847), who started as a seashell seller and became a renowned paleontologist. The artwork and text are attractive and interesting, and readers will learn how dinosaur bones became fossils and how their remains were eventually discovered.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.