How Dinosaurs Took Flight: Fossils, Science, What We Think We Know, and the Mysteries Yet Unsolved by Christopher Sloan (1 book)

Sloan, Christopher. (2005). How dinosaurs took flight: fossils, science, what we think we
know, and the mysteries yet unsolved. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.
64 pages. ISBN # 0-7922-7298-6

Award: Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, 2006; Selector’s Choice

Genre: information

Content area: science

Grade level: 4th and up

Credibility of author: Dr. Xu Xing, from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, wrote the foreword for the book. The author also acknowledges Dr. Mark Norell of the American Museum of Natural History.

Summary: This book centers on the theory that birds are descendents of dinosaurs. Beginning in 1996, discoveries of feathered dinosaur species found in China provided a solid link between the two groups. The author uses the scientific process format to review different findings. The information presented demonstrates to readers that science is an ongoing process with no quick answers.

Standards: Unifying Concepts and Processes I, Earth and Space Science V, History and Nature of Science VII (Archaeology, Anthropology, and Palentology)

Illustrations: colorful prints and photographs with captions, various evolutionary-type trees and timelines, diagrams of skeletons and feathers

Text structure: chronological structure with a scientific process format presenting problems, hypotheses, and evidence

Tone: informative

Voice: The author conveys his passion for the dinosaurian ancestry of birds and of his desire for the reader to learn and develop a curiosity about this subject.

Language: The author uses age appropriate vocabulary and builds a solid support system of sufficient information. The author uses questions to engage the reader.

Access features: table of contents, chapter titles, introduction written by Dr. Xu Xing, subject index, glossary, bibliography, credits, inserted mini glossaries within each chapter

Use: This book would best be used for independent reading and research. It would make an excellent resource book when studying dinosaurs, ornithology, the scientific method, and the career of paleontology.

Response: This book was very interesting, and I learned a lot of new information about dinosaurs. This is not a book to read when you’re tired. You must really sort and classify information as you read in order to clearly process the information.

Related texts:
Feathered Dragons (Currie)
National Geographic Dinosaurs (Barrett)
Dragon Bones and Dinosaur Eggs (Bausum)