Dinosaur for a Day (Blue Ribbon Book) - Softcover

Grade 1-4-- A peep into the prehistoric rain forest to glimpse a day in the life of Hypsilophodon. But it's not the text that will transport readers, it's Weatherby's magnificent paintings, which almost drip with the moist, green overgrowth of these ancient forests. This jungle is filled with life, from flowers and bees to butterflies and toucans. But there are problems with the accuracy of the information presented in these enticing pictures. Although the dinosaurs shown all lived in the Montana-South Dakota region of the U. S., they lived there at vastly different times, and it's doubtful all five would have met in the same woods. Other forest inhabitants are more accurately portrayed, although it's also questionable that such animals and plants would look exactly the same then as now. Also, the personification of Hypsilophodon's young as ``children'' detracts from the factual parts of the text. The introduction and the glossary provide some interesting details that have not been worked into the main : body of the book. This stunning volume will win many followers, but, sadly, many will not realize that the magic of the illustrations has turned fact to fiction before their very eyes. --Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

With its odd, sometimes uneasy mix of fact and fiction, this story of a neatly imagined, drama-filled day of a parent Hysilophodon may disappoint eager dinosaurophiles. Though creatively presented, Murphy and Weatherby's proficient collaboration doesn't quite deliver on its title's promise. While the Hysilophodon and its brood forage, a pack of sharp-clawed Deinonychus attack. The adult leads the predatory meat-eater away from the babies and rejoins them later, in time for the family to return safely to their inland nest. The gauzy, highlighted paintings look as if they were shot in soft focus, and provide an eery, often startling ground-level view of the action. Facts weigh heavily--pages of information bookend the story; there are listings of dinosaurs mentioned and books about dinosaurs (most more suitable for adults than for children). Jarring elements such as strange stone surfaces appearing as text backdrops, along with a didactic approach, may limit the audience for this team's second dinosaur book (after The Last Dinosaur ). Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.