Feathered Dinosaurs - Hardcover

Grade 5-8-This exciting title combines an accurate, readable text and excellent drawings, photos, and diagrams to trace the development of feathers and other avian characteristics from dinosaurs to birds. Sloan uses the latest fossil finds to reinforce the theory that modern birds are true evolutionary descendants from an ancient dinosaurian line. He cites scientific deductions based on the discovery of nesting grounds, evidence of parental nurturing at nest sites, and of trackways determining herd behaviors in several types of dinosaurs. With its eye-catching cover and fascinating color photographs, this volume is sure to attract dinophiles (and possibly bird lovers as well). Team it with other recent exciting titles such as Nic Bishop's Digging for Bird-Dinosaurs (Houghton, 2000), Miriam Schlein's The Puzzle of the Dinosaur-Bird (Dial, 1996), and Mark Norell and Lowell Dingus's A Nest of Dinosaurs (Doubleday, 1999) for a dramatic pilgrimage along an evolution- ary path.
Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 3-6. After poring over this fascinating volume it will be impossible to look at birds the same way again. Theories about birds being the descendants of dinosaurs have been around since the early seventies, but it was just three years ago that fossil remains were unearthed in China revealing dinosaurs with featherlike structures and true feathers. The photographs and drawings are truly top-notch--splashy and imaginative yet very informative. Big, colorful models and paintings give credible interpretations of what these feathered beasts might have looked like. Author Sloan puts all the facts together in a way that is engaging, accessible, and intriguing enough to get readers hooked on nonfiction. Denia Hester
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