Dinosaurs Dominate

Gr 2–5—Prolific author Dixon does not disappoint here. These titles follow the evolution of animals from the early Paleozoic era to the Ice Age. Each book begins with an introduction that provides context for what is to come, as well as a colorful, illustrated time line. The spreads that follow share the same format: a paragraph set off in a text box that succinctly describes the animal under discussion, a vivid illustration (drawn from various photo archives, such as the Natural History Museum, London, etc.), a sidebar titled "Animal Fact File," two small paragraphs with additional factoids ("Sometimes Mammoths became buried in mud when they sank into a peat bog."), and a photo of fossils and/or skeletons. The "Animal Family Glossary" in each book provides students with opportunities to compare groups (Ornithopods, Thyreophorans, etc.). Even collections in which ancient animals are well represented will want to add these attractive books, which will service both report writers and dinophiles.