Pteranodon: The Life Story of a Pterosaur

The time is 100 million years ago. Dinosaurs rule the earth . . . but pterosaurs-flying reptiles-rule the skies!

Similar to the format of the Discovery Channel's Walking With Dinosaurs and Discovery Kids' Prehistoric Planet, this action-packed book tells the story of a young Pteranodon from its first flight, first hunt, and first near brush with death-evading raptors and a T. rex-to finding a mate. The and illustrator both base their story on new studies and theories from the field. The book includes a glossary, select bibliography, and research notes. AUTHOR BIO: Ruth Ashby has written many award-winning nonfiction books for young people on biographical history, animal science, and natural history. She lives in New York City. Phil Wilson has provided illustrations for over thirty-five children's books as well as video-box art, posters, book covers, and even a dinosaur-based Monopoly game. He has also contributed to a range of journals, including National Geographic and Wild Outdoor World Magazine. Wilson lives in Pittsburgh.

Grade 1-3-Using field studies of the modern albatross as a jumping off place, Ashby imagines the life of a Pteranodon from its hatching to its successful mating years later. The simple text includes such dramatic moments as near-miss attacks by an unidentified raptor over land and an Elasmosaurus at sea, the latter episode assuming that the Pteranodon could take off from the water. Wilson's colorful interpretations of the fossil record provide eye-catching images to enhance the narrative. Appended notes provide the reasoning behind the author's extrapolations on the pterosaur's life cycle and behaviors and the artist's bright palette. A global map of the Late Cretaceous Period and a glossary with a pronunciation guide are included. For those not ready for Caroline Arnold's broader, more detailed Pterosaurs: Rulers of the Skies in the Dinosaur Age (Clarion, 2004) or Helen Sattler's handsome Pterosaurs: The Flying Reptiles (HarperCollins, 1985, o.p.), this is an attractive and a rewarding look at the possibilities in a long-lost life history.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
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