Synopses & Reviews
No human being has ever seen a triceratops or velociraptor or even the mighty
Tyrannosaurus rex. They left behind only their impressive bones. So how can scientists know what color dinosaurs were? Or if their flesh was scaly or feathered? Could that fierce
T.rex have been born with spots?
In a first for young readers, the Sibert medalist Catherine Thimmesh introduces the incredible talents of the paleoartist, whose work reanimates gone-but-never-forgotten dinosaurs in giant full-color paintings that are as strikingly beautiful as they aim to be scientifically accurate, down to the smallest detail. Follow a paleoartist through the scientific process of ascertaining the appearance of various dinosaurs from millions of years ago to learn how science, art, and imagination combine to bring us face-to-face with the past.
Review
andldquo;Extensive research, clear organization and writing, appropriate pacing for new ideas and intriguing graphics all contribute to this exceptionally accessible introduction to the mystery of human origins, timed to accompany Lucyandrsquo;s six-year tour of U.S. museums.andrdquo;--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
andquot;Hereandrsquo;s a nonfiction book that deserves the highest of compliments: it reads like a science book . . . Thimmesh opens her narrative with a poetic conjecture that gives such adventure its mystery and due: andldquo;Long ago it lived...even before it had a name. It climbed trees; it roamed the savannah on two legs; it munched on berries and grasses.andrdquo; The answer to the implied questionandmdash;andldquo;What is andlsquo;itandrsquo;?andrdquo;andmdash;propels the reader to turn page after page . . . a handsome book, but also a substantive one.andquot;--The Horn Book Magazine
andquot;With unexpected simplicity and even poetry, Thimmesh uses two beginnings to tell the story of the hominid who changed humansandrsquo; family tree . . . the final portrait of Lucy as she may have looked is a stunner. Like the investigative method itself, this sparks questions and also answers them.andquot;andmdash; Booklist, starred review
andldquo;. . . this should satisfy a young patronandrsquo;s request for material on seriously old human remains.andrdquo;--The Bulletin
andquot;The bookandrsquo;s greatest strength is how it underscores the fluidity of our understanding in a field like anthropology; it shows how one discovery can change the thinking of scientists in a dramatic way . . . The clear writing, excellent photographs, and the unique approach of exploring the field of anthropology through one spectacular specimen make this book a first purchase.andquot;--School Library Journal, starred review
Review
"Required reading for serious dinophiles."
and#8212;Kirkus
"Readers will come away from this excellent book with a new appreciation for dinosaur imagery and for the talented paleoartists who produce it."
and#8212;The Horn Book Magazine, starred review
"A stellar look at the methods paleoartists employ to bring dinosaurs to life on paper. . . . A terrific package that will draw in browsers and serve report writers while inspiring young artists to consider applying their skills to this enthralling field."
and#8212;School Library Journal, starred review
"Thimmesh raises good questions, find some intriguing answers, and leaves others for readers to ponder."
and#8212;Booklist
"This is the kind of information that can lure in readers beyond the usual dino hounds, so casual museumgoers with kids with an interest in forensic reconstructions whould find the topic of interest too."
and#8212;The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Synopsis
Illustrated in full color throughout with stunning compuer-generated artwork and with rare paleo photography, this story of scientific sleuthing invites us to wonder what our ancestors were like. From the discovery of Lucy's bones in Hadar, Ethiopia, to the process of recovering and interpreting them (a multidisciplinary approach with contributions from paleontologists, paleoanthropologists, archeologists, geologists and geochronologists), this book shows how a pile of 47 bones led scientists to discover a new -- and, at 3.2 million years old, a very very old -- species of hominid, ancestral to humans.
Scientists involved include: James Aronson, geochronologist at Dartmouth, NH John Gurche, paleoartist at Cornell, NY Donald Johansen, scientist at Institue of Human Origins at Arizona State University Owen Lovejoy, biological anthropologist at Kent State, Ohio Dirk Van Tuerenhout at Houston's Museum of Natural Science, Texas.
Synopsis
Illustrated in full color with stunning computer-generated artwork and with rare paleo photography, this story of scientific sleuthing invites readers to wonder what our ancestors were like and recounts the discovery of the remains of Lucy, the world's most famous hominid.
Synopsis
Sibert medalist Catherine Thimmesh unravels the mystery of how we bring to life a creature that no one has ever seen before. Strikingly illustrated with full-color images of some of the most beautiful and accurate dinosaur art available.
About the Author
Catherine Thimmesh is the Sibert Medal-winning author of Team Moon. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her family.