Following the high recommendation of the Secrets of Dinosaurs by the Wall Street Journal, the English-edition series books of PNSO Encyclopedia for Children won the star reviews by Kirkus Reviews again.
THE SECRETS OF DINOSAURS
From the PNSO Encyclopedia for Children series
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)
THE SECRETS OF PTEROSAURS
From the PNSO Encyclopedia for Children series
In the castle of imagination, during the age of dinosaurs, pterosaurs ruled the skies.
This entry in an ambitious scientific art project from China featuring the work of the creative duo Yang and Zhao brings pterosaurs, an extinct order of flying reptiles, back to life. Flourishing in the Mesozoic Era along with the dinosaurs, these intriguing creatures were the first flying vertebrates. The opening pages of this album are similar to others in the series: They include introductions to the series concept, an explanation of the helpful scales and timelines that appear throughout, and specifics about pterosaurs, including the first fossil discoveries. Photographs of several fossils give readers an idea of the kind of material the artist works from. The major content is organized in two sections—nonpterodactyloid fossils and pterodactyloid fossils—which are further subdivided into families. Each spread introduces a genus with a portrait or a dramatically lifelike painting of the pterosaur in action in its habitat along with a short story and a memorable tag line. A text box includes body size, diet, period of existence, and locations where fossils were found. The stories often amplify these facts, suggesting how scientists might have determined them and imagining what was going on in the pterosaur’s life.
Another remarkable work of scientifically based imagination.
(index, references, list of scientific art projects) (Nonfiction. 8-12)
Illustrated by scientific artist Mr. Zhao Chuang, and written by Ms. Yang Yang, an author of scientific fairytale for children, this English-edition series will be published by Brown Books Kids authorized by PNSO through CA-LINK to the North American Market.
