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When Little Eliza goes to a dinosaur exhibit with her parents, she already knows that such amazing natural wonders no longer exist, since the conditions that fostered them were long ago destroyed by massive climate change. She is keen to find out more. In words and pictures, she is introduced to creatures like Stegosaurus, one of the earliest animals on the planet, a herbivore, and generally the loser in encounters with the carnivorous Allosaurus, which could be up to forty feet tall. The bird-like Pteranodon might fly up to sixty miles an hour, with any smaller creature as prey. Apatosaurus, or "deceptive lizard," was huge but has been depicted in such gentle guises as the family pet of the Flintstones. According to paleontologists, Eliza is excited to see what was probably the first bird: the small, colorfully feathered Archaeopteryx. Another dinosaur "movie villain" was the Dilophosaurus, though it actually never spit poison as is depicted in films. A swimmer, Mosasurus lived in the sea. The plant-eating Ankylosaurus species shared its era with the legendary T. Rex, which was almost sure to conquer and consume them along with other gentle grazers like Triceratops. Terrifying in its time was the monstrous, rhino-like Spinosaurus. The Dawndraco, a fish-feasting flyer, is next in Eliza's explorations, which conclude with a Wooly Mammoth—a furry, prehistoric Alaskan wanderer.
With her thirst for knowledge and parents' encouragement, Eliza is treated to exhibits comprising vivid paintings and clever wordplay created by author/illustrator Petry. A retired family practitioner, Petry has devised this latest offering as part of a "Little Book" series to delight and educate young readers. This volume combines four essential elements: his firm knowledge of the subject matter, laudable talent in graphic arts, an obvious wish to share his ideas with children and families, and a gift for poetry. This latter aspect is shown in the couplets that tell the story. And for young readers, it also offers the anticipation of a sturdy, engaging rhyme at the end of each paired line. There are useful allusions to how modern movies have portrayed, and at times distorted, the many fascinating characteristics of the dinosaurs. Petry weaves Little Eliza's often intelligent perspective into her emotionally charged perceptions of the beasts. For example, T. Rex incites fear since she realizes it was one of the strongest and most savage of all the dinosaurs. She is comforted by the specter of the large but plant-eating Alamosaurus of America's Southwest, but then made wary at thoughts of the small but carnivorous Velociraptors, also seen in movies and, she notes, "rarely in a good mood." The expertly painted pictures of these strange phenomena are presented alongside the informative narrative encompassing Eliza's viewpoint. Petry artistically styles these almost mythic creatures in movement within what would have been their typical habitats. The totality is a dramatically vibrant work for children that they and their parents can enjoy, with a combination of visual and written information that will evoke further questions and lead the inquiring reader to seek a greater expanse of knowledge.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review