The secrets of dinosaurs

Gr 3--7--"Oh, a gruesome fight is about to start!" "Even its friends don't trust the Majungasaurus." "In addition to its giant head, [Giganotosaurus] has many other big things." Though set apart from the general run of dinosaur galleries by a relentlessly breezy narrative, this Chinese import (originally published in 2015) also offers some first rate paleo art, and an unusual--but not exclusive--focus on species first discovered in China. The dinosaurs, grouped by clade (Ornithopods, Marginocephalia, etc.) but otherwise arranged in no particular order, are rendered in dazzling hues with every scale, feather, and claw painted in sharp, fine detail. Some selections float on monochrome backgrounds; others are placed in natural settings in either static poses or (also unusual, at least in surveys aimed at younger American audiences) chowing down gruesomely on hapless prey. Along with stirring obvious inventions into a mix of up-to-date facts and speculations that are backed up by a large, if scholarly, resource list, Yang sometimes departs from adjacent illustrations to, for instance, describe distinctive tails that are cut off by the scene's frame, or claim that the colorfully named Irritator ate fish when it's shown noshing on a pterosaur. Still, even confirmed dinophiles are likely to make new discoveries here. VERDICT Some conflicts between text and pictures aside, this is a likely hit for middle grade browsers and budding paleontologists alike--with read-aloud potential for younger audiences.--John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York

An album of images and stories of a wide array of dinosaurs who flourished in the Mesozoic era. Spread by spread, with astonishing pictures and engaging words, this presentation introduces dozens of different dinosaurs, first saurischians and then ornithischians. Artist Zhao collaborated with paleontologists around the world to base his striking paintings on recent research. Some are three-dimensional portraits; others, which appear more like museum dioramas, place his subjects in an environmental context. Set on these full-bleed images are the dinosaur's name and a tagline; a paragraph or two of text; a fact box with size, diet, period of existence, and where their fossils have been found; their size in relation to a bus; and, often, a time scale to show when the pictured dinosaur probably lived. Yang's descriptions relate interesting facts about each dinosaur's appearance, lifestyle, or discovery by scientists and often imagine it as engaged in action. Some descriptions even ascribe emotions or feelings to the dinosaurs. This is intentional; in her preface, the author indicates that she hopes to help her readers go beyond mere facts in order to nurture their senses of wonder about the natural world. Will be devoured by dinosaur lovers everywhere. (index, endnotes, list of scientific art projects) (Nonfiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.