Book Description

Pack up your gear and get ready to go on a dig. Whether it's iron ore, dazzling gemstones, or a prehistoric creature preserved in amber, a mother lode of exciting discoveries await budding paleontologists and geologists in this informative picture book.Large and detailed full-color spreads, complemented by clear, concise text unearth the mysteries of the ground beneath our feet. Children will learn how rocks, crystals, minerals, and fossils are formed, where they are found, and how they are used.Step-by-step illustrations and captions explore such processes as the fossilization of ancient animals and plants, together with the work of the scientists who catalog and preserve them.Includes an illustrated glossary and an index to sharpen the young reader's reference skills. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A wonderful book for a budding geologist
This book was and is a big hit with my four-year-old. Clear, easy-to-understand text and big, bright illustrations make the book accessible to young readers. It is neatly formatted into two-page "chapters" focusing on specific topics, which makes it easy for him to "look up" whatever he's interested in that particular day. It also has useful tips for starting a rock collection, and (important for parents) convenient ways to store said collection. I recommend this book to any parent with a child interested in any aspect of geology. ... Read more

Book Description

Sometimes it's the imprint of an ancient leaf in a rock. Sometimes it's a woolly mammoth, frozen for thousands of years in the icy ground. Sometimes it's the skeleton of a stegosaurus that has turned to stone.

A fossil is anything that has been preserved, one way or another, that tells about life on Earth. But you can make a fossil, too--something to be discovered a million years from now--and this book will tell you how.

Reviews (2)

A review of the record of fossils for children Ages 5 and up
Fossils tell of long ago is a good book for children. Brightly illustrated pictures help them grasp the facts of fossils. It includes a fun experiment, too, along with a clear explanation of how fossils were made. I give this book four stars.

Aliki's blatant attempt at political correctness.
While this book is still a decent introduction to fossils for children, I'm giving it two stars because it is a VERY different book from the original (published in 1972, I believe) that I read and loved as a child. I purchased this version thinking it would be the same as the original (except for the different cover and perhaps some updates to the information therein). Well, I was wrong. ALL of the illustrations have changed (NOT for the better, either, in my opinion). There are now children of every hue pictured, and even a black boy in a wheel chair. How nice. This is what all children's books of the future will look like, apparently. (Classic children's books that don't include pictures of kids from various ethnic groups will need to be re-illustrated.) Aliki, why did you mess with a perfectly good original?

If you've read the original edition of this book, DON'T purchase this one, as I think you'll be disappointed. Search for a used copy of the original. ... Read more

Book Description

New Look! Relaunched with new jackets and 8 pages of new text!

Here is an original and exciting new look at fossils - the remains of long-vanished animals and plants. Stunning real-life photographs of the spectacular remains of ancient lives offer a unique "eyewitness" view of what fossils are, how they were formed, and how they lived millions of years ago.See pearls that are 50 million years old, a dinosaur's toe, a troublesome "snake" that was turned to stone, a fossilized human being, and a snail made of precious stones.Learn how fossils are formed, how trilobites have been preserved for 590 million years, where to look for a belemnite, and how fossils helped the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.Discover which are the most precious fossils in the world, where ammonites lived, how big mammoths were, what a devil's toenail looks like, and much, much more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Educationl Text
I'm a teacher and I find the Eyewitness books highly educational. I like the way the concepts are presented in a form without backgrounds. This gives clear facts to the reader without over taxing the attention span. The books are highly informative, presenting difficult concepts in comprehendable chunks that stimulate interest. I have almost the whole collection for my own children and they LOVE them!

Excellent Pictures and Descriptions
As with the other "Eyewitness" books published by DK Publishing, this one is right on the mark for a beginner and seasoned fossil collector with pictures and descriptions that correllate very well with each other. Includes information of most all common fossils and a few of harder to find fossils. Not for researching significant hard-to-find or rare fossils. Worth the price and is also available in paperback binding. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Who Dung It? Getting the Real Scoop
My wife had a hard job convincing the courier man that he had just delivered dino dung to Dannemora - Dannemora being the name of our district. But deliver he did!

The publishers of Random House Children's books have just sent me an advance copy of Dino Dung - the Scoop on Fossil Feces.

This is a new book by Dr Karen Chin and Thom Holmes with illustrations by Karen Carr and another in the Step into Reading series recommended for Grades 2-4.

From the case of the Weird White Blobs to the Telltale Tyrannosaur, this book is a real Who `Dung' It?

Dr Chin is a world renowned authority on the fecal remains of dinosaurs and her partnership with the highly regarded author of children's books, Thom Holmes, has produced a fascinating insight into the science of coprolites.

There are a lot of interesting facts and observations packed into the forty eight pages of this Junior Reader: the role of bacteria in converting dino dung into these trace fossils, how to spot a true coprolite and learning that the size of the pile doesn't necessarily equate to the size of the depositor.

As with other books in this series, the pictures in this gem are clear and concise, even when illustrating difficult subjects such as the cut-away sections of ground or sections observed under a microscope.

Readers will also enjoyed the subtle humour in the headers such as "The Scat with Nine Lives"

The publishers are on to another winner with this book and we will be recommending it to children everywhere - and no doubt a few adults!

Roger Smith
Publisher of Dinosaurnews
http://www.dinosaurnews.org ... Read more

Reviews (2)

great reference tool
This is a detailed and interesting book about dinosaursfor kids. It's very up-to-date. It has dinosaurs we've never heard of before. Who knew that there was a dinosaur for every letter of the alphabet?Now we know! In the starting of the book there are very informative sections such as How Are Dinosaurs Discovered?, How are they named?, How are they grouped?, and what is a dinosaur!


The book was very easy for children to use.Lots of kids are interested in learning more about dinosaurs and this is a great tool for them



This book would be helpful to elementary students when writing reports on Dinosaurs.

Great new book for kids who've read all the dinosaur books
This is a detailed, interesting book about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures for kids.It's very up-to-date.It has dinosaurs we've never heard of before.It's also not as sensational and gory as some.My son is 6 and has read most of the dinosaur books at the library, and he loved finding this one recently.I'm getting it for him for Christmas because he'll never get tired of it. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Young scientists will want to read this one again and again!
With the loving support of her mother, and the admonition of her deceased father to perservere in her quest for "curiosities", Mary Anning went on to discover ancient fossils which earned her the friendship and respect of many well-known scientists of the early 1800s. Christians and Jews will want to change the reference "millions of years" to "thousands" to be in keeping with Biblical creationism, but other than that it is a great book. It is the kind of book a young scientist will read again and again... feeling the cold, salty air as Mary digs in the sand and scrapes at the stones that fall from the cliffs of the shores of Lyme Regis, England. Her relentless curiosity and faithful endurance led to her discovery of what we now call an ichthyosaur... at the age of only eleven!

A Wonderful Collaboration
Atkins and Dooling have created a beautiful picture book that girls and boys will love. Mary Anning's story is becoming more well known now with two other recently released picture books (by Laurence Anholt and Don Brown). Dooling's illustrations are vivid, colorful, real and beautiful!

Women's History and Careers
The story of Mary Anning is certainly not well known, at least in the US and outside of the field of paleantology. This book gives a perspective of what it's like to have a fascination which turns into a career. It is especially encouraging to young women who want to explore a variety of careers.

The illustrations capture a life in England at the sea in the early 1800's. Beautifully done! ... Read more

Book Description

Introduction by Dr. Paul Sereno.

Imagine a crocodile almost as long as Tyrannosaurus rex and just as fierce! That’s SuperCroc, the giant Sarcosuchus fossil discovered by Paul Sereno, a National Geographic explorer-in-residence.

Crocodiles and their ancestors are some of the most successful animals that ever lived. At the time of T. rex, crocs ranged in size from 2 feet to over 40 feet long. They lived on land, in swamps, and in the sea. Some, like SuperCroc, were fierce predators. Some were heavily armoredplant eaters. And when all of the dinosaurs (except birds) became extinct, the crocs lived on, becoming the crocodiles, alligators, and gharials of today.

Combining fantastic art and photography with vivid descriptions, Chris Sloan draws young readers into the latest discoveries about the lives of these amazing animals.

Reviews (2)

Enhanced with superbly presented photography
Supercroc And The Origin Of Crocodiles by Christopher Sloan (Senior Editor for Art, National Geographic magazine) is a nonfiction children's picturebook about ancient, gigantic crocodiles of millions of years ago, and their modern-day descendants. Enhanced with superbly presented photography, color illustrations, and amazing facts about these ancient reptiles, Supercroc is an exciting and highly educational read for children ages 8 through 12.

Supercroc is Super!
You are really going to enjoy National Geographic Supercroc and the Origin of Crocodiles. This hardcover with dustjacket new book is written by National Geo's art director Christopher Sloan (Feathered Dinosaurs) with an introduction by Dr. Paul Sereno, discoverer of Sarcosuchus. This beautiful book is packed with photos plus numerous paintings and illustrations from none other than world famous paleo artists Mark Hallett, Doug Henderson, John Sibbick, and National Geographic's talented new wunderkind: Raul Martin. The informative text describes for readers of all ages topics such as the definition of a crocodile, the world of Sereno's "Supercroc" Sarcosuchus and its fossil discovery, a prehistoric history of crocs and their cousins and the differences and similarities they share. You'll be amazed at the variety, from lizard sized saurians to giant Sarcosuchus who fed on dinosaurs. The final chapter titled "The Last Extinction?" discusses how crocs have survived 200 million years but now are seriously threatened by man. A fantastic full color work for all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that for every pound of people on earth, there are 300 pounds of insects? Or that millions of years ago some of these bugs actually weighed that much? Well, during prehistoric times, before dinosaurs ruled the earth, bugs did; and just like today the seas, skies, and lands were covered by these creepy-crawlers. There were dragonflies with wings that reached a yard across in length, and millipedes that grew to over six feet long! But what is even more fascinating is the fact that all of these creatures in some form or another learned to adapt and survive to become the insects and sea beasts of today.

In this fully illustrated picture book, readers will be captivated by the detailed information of prehistoric insects, arachnids, and their relatives. Chock-full of facts about fossil formation, insect evolution, flight theories, and geologic time, Bugs Before Time will mesmerize entomologists of all ages. Author Cathy Camper's absorbing text, and artist Steve Kirk's extraordinary paintings combine to re-create a world where giants reigned. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

perfect juicy bugs!!
This is the best book! I teach elementary school students, and they love it. Ms. Camper has hit on the perfect topic for kids: giant insects and dinosaurs. "Bugs Before Time" is filled with vivid illustrations to complement the fun and highly informed text. Even two sentences can inspire long and lively conversations in class. It's a joy to see my students so excited.
My students, who happen to be learning English as a second language, are eager to read this and they even take it home to enjoy. I couldn't think of a greater success for an educational publication.
This is everything a science book should be: alive, witty, and inspiring. It is a pleasure for adults, too, and makes me want to learn even more. Cheers!!

Oh ... my ... gosh ...
You won't believe what you read in this book. To think that there were once bugs SO BIG crawling and flying around this earth. Spiny things, brightly colored things ... if you've had a chance to hear author Camper talk about her great bug models, well, that's a treat. If you have, I bet you've bought this book. If you haven't, then you should read the book for the best information about an amazing group of entomylogical wonders. Well researched, it's a worthwhile book for any bookshelf.

Great Gift for the Gifted Child
This is a science book for children that has real scientific content. Parents who appreciate a children's book that is based on solid research, and reflects the latest ideas in entomology, paleontology, geology, and other related fields, will enjoy this book as much as their children. Although the reading level is set at 9-12 years, I would recommend it for parents of children aged 7-9 who like to read together with their children. The author lives in Minnesota, where as Garrison Keilor says, all the children are above average. She must be writing for young Minnesotans.

Delightful debut!
This book fills a long-neglected space on the shelf in the library where I work.There has been so much written for children about dinosaurs and so little about the "smaller" inhabitants of the prehistoric world. The author's text is wonderful. It is a challenge to make "dry" facts fun for kids to read.The artist's images are vivid and pleasing to the eye. This book does not stay on the shelf long. The kids grab it as soon as it comes in!
Kids who love bugs will love this book! Get this title for your library.I promise you will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun for lots of ages!
I have two sons who are 2 and 7-1/2 -- it's hard to find a book both of them like at the same time. They both love Dinosaur Bones! The younger one loves the pictures and simple rhymes, and the older one loves reading them to him. But there is also the smaller print on each page containing more advanced information, which is fun to read to my older son when we are one-on-one. We've checked this book out of the library a half-dozen times, and keep renewing it until they won't let us anymore. So I'm finally going to buy it!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book is really Xtreme!
Well,after reading "Dinosaurs!The Biggest,Baddest,Strangest & Fastest" and "Dinosaur Imagery",I`m receiving the third great dinosaur art book,which can almost be classified as a follow-up and companion to "Dinosaurs!".
It is mainly written for children in the ages of 10 or something,but I still find it very fascinating as it provides entertaining information on what the dinosaurs may behaviored and looked like.
For the first,the dinosaurs of this book are mainly cretaceous,so if you`re a fan of stegosaurs or sauropods,this is nothing for you. But if you like the small theropods,there is no better art book. This book is like a dinosaurian sightseeing guide - it begins with a short introduction,then chapters about American,South American African,and Asian dinosaurs. Each continent has very special ones - in North America,you`ll find T-rex and Utahraptor,in South America we meet the bizarre "buldog" dinosaur Carnotaurus,the fearfull Giganotosaurus and the strange Amargasaurus with a sail on the neck!
The asian dinosaurs are perhaps even more bizarre,such as the Therizinosaurus with 3-foot claws,and the dinosaur-bird link Sinsauropteryx. Special attention are given to the feathered dinosaurs,and he puts feathers on nearly all meat-eaters under a tonne!
It ends with a short chapter about the most weird & wonderfull dinosaurs,like the most deadly dino ever to live - Deinonychus,which looks more like a stupid turkey than a horror lizard,but is still a perfect predator,with 6-inch claws!And the recently discovered Byronosaurus and the Jurassic Park favorite Velociraptor are also given some attention,especially the picture when the raptors are playing in the snow,which is an image that just feels so moving and uplifting I almost want to move myself!
After reading this book,I really had some thoughts about dinosaurs. They may didn`t looked like most people imagine. May be they weren`t so unlike the present animals,but in some way this makes them even more fascinating and wonderfull. The restorations of this book can`t barely be described in words ; you have to see them for yourself to fully know what I mean.
I will also base my upcoming dinosaur comic on the look and behavior of these "Extreme Dinosaurs".
If you wish to have a dino art book with just one painter,then there is no better than this!So buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

Discover the world beneath us with Discovery Plus: Prehistoric Worlds. You will discover volcanoes, mountains, ancient fossils, spectacular gems, and even rocks from space that have fallen to Earth.Each spread in this 48-page book features eye-catching photographs, drawings, full-page acetates, tabs, wheels, and text written in an easy to understand format. Children will learn the difference between metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks, as well as how coal is formed and how fossils give us clues to the past.The Discovery Plus series includes Animal Kingdom, Oceans & Rain Forests, Bodyworks, Prehistoric Worlds, Pyramid Builders, and Weather & Sky. ... Read more