From one dinosaur's head to another's tail, this informational picture
book challenges readers to guess which prehistoric creature each of
eight different body parts belongs to. (For example, "What dinosaur had
claws like this?") For each question, the answer is given on the
following spread, with an overview that includes the name of the
dinosaur, an illustration of the entire animal in its habitat and facts
about the featured body part, such as why it looked the way it did and
how scientists believe it was used. The colorful and eye-catching
collage illustrations by Kwanchai Moriya offer a unique and friendly
approach to the ever-popular subject of dinosaurs. The creatures are a
mix of the popular (Tyrannosaurus) and the lesser-known
(Therizinosaurus) and allow children the satisfaction of guessing some
correctly while learning about others. A pronunciation guide accompanies
the first mention of each dinosaur's name. There is also a bonus spread
at the end of the book containing a quick look at seven more intriguing
dinosaurs. Balancing a captivating picture book experience with just the
right level of information, it is an ideal bridge between a basic
concept book and a detailed encyclopedic book. It would work perfectly
in a group lesson on prehistoric creatures or on animal bodies, with the
highly engaging, interactive guessing-game component providing a way of
enlivening the classroom discussion. It could also be used individually
by higher-level readers as an interesting nonfiction choice or a
reference book.
