THE AGE OF DINOSAURS

A comprehensive look at the when, where, and why of dinosaurs.

Introducing the predecessors of true dinosaurs, which lived 250 million years ago in the early Triassic Period, and moving forward to the middle Triassic, when true dinosaurs evolved, and then to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, 200 million-66 million years ago, the narrative contains, in its first five chapters alone, a dizzying amount of information regarding dinosaur fossil species, their skeletal characteristics, and the geographic locations where they have been found. This rather dry information is, happily, interspersed with boxed segments that recount more personal stories of fossil digs by the author and male and female paleontologists from many different countries working in many parts of the world, leaving readers with a yes-you-too-can-do-this feeling. Ensuing chapters offer interesting in-depth stories about ever popular dinosaurs like the giant Brontosaurus and the fierce Tyrannosaurus rex and then go on to explore the ways dinosaurs evolved in different geographic areas, introducing the science of plate tectonics and various climate changes along the way. The mass dinosaur extinction from an asteroid impact and the evolution of birds as today’s dinosaurs are presented with comprehensive scientific evidence in an upbeat, kid-friendly way. Photographs and realistic drawings help bring the science to life.

Not necessarily casual reading but for the enthusiast, a treasure trove of information.