Review by Booklist Review
Fully illustrated, this large-format book takes readers back to the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, even in polar regions. The world's climate was warmer then and polar ice was seasonal, Arnold explains, but the Arctic and Antarctic winters' three months of cold and darkness would have challenged the animals that lived there. After the introductory sections, the book shifts from region to region, telling stories of dinosaur fossil finds in Alaska, northern Canada, Siberia, Antarctica, southern Australia, New Zealand, and Patagonia as well as discussing their interpretation and implications. Since illustrations usually show dinosaurs in tropical settings, readers may be startled by the sight of a tyrannosaurid in a winter-white Alaskan landscape or snow falling on ceratops. The best of Caple's watercolors paintings convincingly portray individual animals while creating beautiful effects with fine-textured surfaces and suffused light. A list of museums featuring polar dinosaur fossils as well as related Internet sites is appended to this clearly written, informative, and handsome book.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-Arnold has done a solid job of presenting the fossil evidence that dinosaurs lived at or near the poles during the Mesozoic Era. She outlines the various species that have been found in Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. One of her most interesting points is that dinosaurs lived in much cooler environments than we typically imagine and it appears that they had developed adaptations (large eyes, the ability to hibernate) to help them survive the colder climes. However, the book is really brought to life by Caple's stunning watercolor illustrations that show the various dinosaurs in their habitats. The skies for each image serve as a monotone background for the text, and the paintings of the dinosaurs perfectly frame the words in lively and dramatic poses. Children will definitely want to spend time examining the details of the artwork. One odd point about the book is the title in that the discussion of global warming is minimal and seemingly tangential to the fascinating material within.-Denise Schmidt, San Francisco Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Arnold introduces dinosaur species that lived during the Cretaceous Period in the polar regions of Earth, locations once thought too cold for dinosaur survival. In a brief introductory section she explains the paleoclimatology and fossil finds that led scientists to these discoveries, then visits finds in Canada, Alaska, Australia, and Antarctica. The discussion alternates between descriptions of major species -- including their inferred behaviors and physical characteristics adaptive to the colder environment -- and historical accounts of the scientists and amateur fossil collectors whose hard work in today's harsh polar climates has added to our knowledge of these animals. Caple's luminous watercolors place the dinosaurs in lush northern forests and beaches reminiscent of today's Pacific Northwest. Appended are an index and a list of museums (and their websites) that contain fossils of polar dinosaurs. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Lacing her narrative with deliciously mouth-filling namesPachyrhinosaurus, Fulgotherum, Saurornitholestes (go ahead, try them out)Arnold tallies recent fossil discoveries inside or close to the Arctic and Antarctic Circles proving that dinosaurs weren't just tropical animals but could adapt to cold climates and long nights too. Moving region by region around the globe, the narrative provides brief descriptions of fossil finds in Alaska, Siberia, Canada, Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and Patagonia, along with hypotheses explaining diet and possible migratory habits that enabled them to survive. Caple offers only conventional portraits of big, toothy creatures patterned in subdued colors and posing against generic, sometimes snowy backgrounds, and the author's title has only the most tenuous connection to her actual subject. However, Arnold has found a topic that hasn't been treated in such detail elsewhere, making it a sure draw, therefore, for confirmed young dino-fans. (museum list, index) (Nonfiction. 9-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
