Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers? (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) - Hardcover

Zoehfeld, Kathleen Weidner

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060290269 ISBN 13: 9780060290269

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2004

Synopsis

Bird or dinosaur? Birds are the only living animals with feathers, but did you know that some dinosaurs had feathers too? Unlike birds, these creatures had teeth and long, bony tails. They ranged in size from the feisty Microraptor, which was small enough to hold in your hand -- if you weren't afraid of its sharp teeth -- to the Beipiaosaurus, which was over seven feet long. Paleontologists learned about these creatures, which lived approximately 145 million years ago, by studying fossils.

About this title

About the Author

Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld has written many books for children, including How Mountains Are Made, What Is the World Made Of?, and What Lives in a Shell? in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Ms. Zoehfeld lives in Norwalk, CT.

Lucia Washburn's first book for young readers was Look to the North by Jean Craighead George. She lives in Petaluma, CA.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 4--Like Zoehfeld's other books on dinosaurs, this is a visually appealing, informative, and interesting read. The author leads youngsters from the first discovery of a fossil print of a feather in 1860 in Germany to more recent findings in China of dinosaur fossils showing plumage, and differentiates between the various types of feathers and their purposes. She also discusses the link between theropods and modern-day birds. Pastel illustrations in pale tones provide vivid visualizations of long-ago landscapes and the creatures being discussed. An inset map shows where in China the fossils were located. The book concludes with a section on finding out more about feathers and a note on washing and microwaving specimens collected outdoors to rid them of germs and "tiny insect critters." Libraries that serve dinosaur fanatics will find this a welcome addition.--Jean Lowery, Bishop Woods Elementary School, New Haven, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

K-Gr. 3. This entry into the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series discusses fossil evidence of feathered dinosaurs and presents theories about the animals' lives and their probable position as the ancestors of modern birds. After focusing on the winged, prehistoric species Archaeopteryx, the discussion turns to the theropods, dinosaurs whose fossils have sometimes been discovered with prints of feathers. Washburn's appealing, soft-focus artwork fills up the pages. Apparently done in pastels, the pictures create both concrete images of fossil finds and imaginative scenes depicting prehistoric landscapes and animals. The book concludes with a two-page spread discussing feathers and encouraging children to collect, clean, and study them. An interesting addition to an excellent series. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0060290269
• ISBN 13: 9780060290269
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Washburn Lucia
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40