Make-a-saurus: My Life with Raptors and Other Dinosaurs

Cooley, Brian; Wilson, Mary

ISBN 10: 1550376454 ISBN 13: 9781550376456

Publisher: Annick Press, 2000

Here's an exciting new approach to the realm of dinosaurs. World-class dinosaur sculptor Brian Cooley takes kids on a journey into the recent past, when dinosaurs were thought to be cold-blooded, lumbering, solitary creatures. As Brian explains, paleontologists went on to discover new fossils that proved dinosaurs were lean, swift and gregarious. This shift in viewpoint was dramatic, but today there is an even more radical development: the overwhelming evidence indicates that some dinosaurs were feathered, the ancestors of avian life as we know it today.

In Make-a-saurus, Brian reveals just how paleontologists were able to establish that some dinosaurs had feathers. Then he shows how he builds his own feathered model. First, he gathers all the information he can about how the dinosaur looked, beginning with the skeleton. The next step for Brian is creating a rough sketch of the creature, before moving on to shaping the model and applying the fine details. Photographs taken during each step of the process enable children to see a life-like dinosaur model grow before their eyes -- one that recently appeared in National Geographic.

In the last section of the book, Brian adapts his professional model-building for children, telling them how to construct their own dinosaur -- feathered or rough-skinned -- with clear, easy-to-follow instructions, using inexpensive, easy to find materials like wire, tape, papier mach� and even dryer lint! Brian brings a light, bright touch to the instructions, so children can truly enjoy creating a dinosaur of their own -- one that can be handled and played with, not just shelved.

"If you want a dinosaur to look as if it could walk right off the pedestal and bite you, you would hire Brian Cooley." (Chris Sloan, Art Director, National Geographic)

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About the Author:

Brian Cooley, one of the world's top dinosaur sculptors, developed a love of dinosaurs as a kid. He has been producing dinosaur models professionally for 17 years, and to date his work has appeared on the covers of two issues of National Geographic. He has produced more that 30 models, many of which have toured the United States and Canada or are part of permanent displays at such institutions as the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller, Alberta.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-8-This engaging book informs readers about new discoveries in paleontology, how museum artists work, how to make non-carved sculptures, and how to adapt these techniques at home. In the first section, the authors take youngsters step-by-step through the entire process of making a museum-quality model via clear descriptions and detailed color photos. The second part explains how to make models using some of those same techniques. Because no soft tissue of these creatures has been found, young model makers are encouraged to use their imaginations when applying coloration or materials to the model's surface. Alternative methods and materials are offered, indicating the advantages and disadvantages of each. Measurements are given in metric and English equivalents. A well-researched, multifaceted offering for students who are well beyond the cardboard projects described in Kathy Ross's Crafts for Kids Who Are Wild about Dinosaurs (Millbrook, 1997).
Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, NJ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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