Cretaceous Dinosaur World (World of Dinosaurs)

Grade 3-5?While none of these titles offer new material, The Great Dinosaur Record Book presents information in a format that will appeal to children. The other two volumes are broad period overviews that mention lots of dinosaurs but not always in much detail, sometimes grouping those with similar characteristics, such as the giant Jurassic sauropods, together. On the plus side, these books cover more than just dinosaurs, filling out the picture of prehistoric life by describing in double-page chapters the climate as well as plants and other creatures. While The Great Dinosaur Record Book is similar to Elizabeth MacLeod's Dinosaurs (Viking, 1995), few titles compare these animals by their superlative attributes. A problem with each book is that it's sometimes difficult to discern fictionalized scenarios from fact, since the texts don't explain how scientists have determined how these animals lived and interacted in their environments. Illustrations are large and colorful, but not always skillfully executed.?Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
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