This lavishly illustrated volume is the first authoritative dinosaur book in the style of a field guide. World-renowned dinosaur illustrator and researcher Gregory Paul provides comprehensive visual and textual coverage of the great Mesozoic animals that gave rise to the living dinosaurs, the birds. Incorporating the new discoveries and research that are radically transforming what we know about dinosaurs, this book is distinguished both by its scientific accuracy and the quality and quantity of its illustrations. It presents thorough descriptions of more than 735 dinosaur species and features more than 600 color and black-and-white images, including unique skeletal drawings, “life” studies, and scenic views–illustrations that depict the full range of dinosaurs, from small, feathered creatures to whale-sized supersauropods.
REVIEW
Covering 735 species of dinosaurs, this volume, the work of a well-known dinosaur researcher and illustrator, consists of two main sections. The first is an introduction that includes a discussion on dinosaur evolution, biology, behavior, and more. The majority of the information is found in the ÔÇ£Group and Species AccountsÔÇØ section and is further divided into three groups: ÔÇ£Theropods,ÔÇØ ÔÇ£Sauropodomorphs,ÔÇØ and ÔÇ£Ornithischians.ÔÇØ Entries on each species are concise and typically include information related to their anatomical characteristics, age, distribution, and habitat. Notes may be used to communicate alternative theories or debates that apply to the species. The volume also contains more than 600 color and black-and-white illustrations, among them more than 130 color life studies (some of them scenic views); nearly 450 skeletal, skull, head, and muscle drawings; and 8 paleo-distribution maps. Described as ÔÇ£the first authoritative dinosaur book in the style of a field guide,ÔÇØ this volume is more scientific in its language and approach than many of the other dinosaur books a library will have in its collection. At the same time, the illustrations should attract dinosaur fans. Recommended for public and academic libraries. –Robyn Rosenberg