Triceratops

April 1, 2021

Gr 2-4-Familiar prehistoric reptiles are introduced with a handful of facts and images. An opening paragraph describes the dinosaur in action; subsequent pages provide information in a few sentences per spread. Coverage includes size, diet, behavior, and fossils, usually with just enough data for readers new to the subject. While the language is occasionally overly vague (Triceratops: "Scientists have studied their teeth. These dinos lost teeth. But they grew new ones."), the authors distinguish known facts from scientific theory where needed and explain key concepts, such as the "flying reptile" classification of Pterodactylus, at an age-appropriate level. Illustrations are bold and active, depicting the animals realistically in a variety of situations. A two-page image with captioned body parts and a clear range map add useful visual content. VERDICT Solid choices to beef up the dino shelves.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2021

Gr 1-3-Dinosaurs are popular among lots of readers and a good investment for almost any collection. Unfortunately, this series falls short in a few ways: the format and presentation is somewhat scattered, with fonts in varying sizes and text boxes awkwardly placed, making the information difficult to follow. The font used for the main headings of each chapter may be difficult for some readers to decipher, and some of the text is difficult to see against neon-colored pages. VERDICT This series presents well-translated information and offers definitions of important terms, but is not visually appealing.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.