Book
Scaly spotted feathered frilled : how do we know what dinosaurs really looked like? / by Catherine Thimmesh.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780547991344 (hc.) :
- Physical Description: 57 pages : col. ill. ; 24 x 29 cm
- Publisher: Boston : Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Content descriptions
| Target Audience Note: | Grade 4 to 6. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Dinosaurs > Juvenile literature. Paleoart > Juvenile literature. Paleontology > Juvenile literature. |
Available copies
- 4 of 4 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Prince Rupert Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 4 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Rupert Library | J 567.9 Thim (Text) | 33294001894484 | Juvenile Non-Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2013 October #2
Most books about dinosaurs gloss over the obvious question posed in this book's subtitle. The challenge of reconstructing a dinosaur skeleton from an incomplete set of fossil bones is only the first step in knowing what it looked like. In researching this original volume, Thimmesh interviewed a number of paleoartists, whose job is to illustrate different prehistoric species based on incomplete knowledge of their bones, muscles, and skin textures and colors, as well as their distinctive features, movements, habits, and habitats. Drawings, paintings, and models from different periods illustrate the book, accompanied by informative commentary in both the captions and text. Though the audience may be small, this will fascinate those whose interests include paleontological research and illustration, as well as some readers who were earlier intrigued by Kathleen Kudlinski's picture book Boy, Were We Wrong about Dinosaurs! (2005). Ultimately, Thimmesh raises good questions, finds some intriguing answers, and leaves others for readers to ponder. Copyright 2013 Booklist Reviews. - Horn Book Guide Reviews : Horn Book Guide Reviews 2014 Spring
Paleoartists use scientific evidence and a dash of artistic license to come up with the best approximations of what dinosaurs looked like. In this excellent book, Thimmesh's explanations of the process are informative and well researched, including quotes from interviews with six prominent paleoartists. Captions for the illustrations are very detailed and just as informative as the main text. - Horn Book Magazine Reviews : Horn Book Magazine Reviews 2013 #5
Scientists know a great deal about dinosaurs, except for one big unanswered (and likely unanswerable) question: what did they actually look like? With only a few rare fossilizations of soft parts, many dinosaur characteristics -- from skin color and texture to thickness of muscles and facial expressions -- remain a mystery. To create images for books, scientific reports, and museums, paleoartists use scientific evidence and a dash of artistic license to come up with the best possible approximations. Thimmesh's explanations of this process are informative and well researched, including quotes from interviews with six prominent paleoartists. Decisions about the positioning of the dinosaurs, how to portray movement, whether they traveled in groups or alone, even the plants, landscapes, and other species associated with their habitats must be carefully grounded in the best available evidence. The book's thoughtful design shows a historical progression of our knowledge of dinosaurs, sometimes with early-twentieth-century art placed alongside modern images for comparison, or sequences of pictures that show how an artist takes a sketch of a fossilized skull and moves, step by step, to re-create facial details. Captions for the illustrations are very detailed and just as informative as the main text. Readers will come away from this excellent book with a new appreciation for dinosaur imagery and for the talented paleoartists who produce it. danielle j. ford Copyright 2013 Horn Book Magazine Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2013 August #1
Thimmesh (Lucy Long Ago, 2009) again explores the border between science and speculation in this thoughtful look at how paleontologists and, in particular, "paleoartists" reconstruct prehistoric creatures from fossil evidence. It's "guesswork," admits one artist. "But it's guesswork based on science." The author explains how surviving evidence--including fossilized bone fragments, plant matter, bits of skin and, recently, feathers, prehistoric "trackways" (preserved pathways of dino footprints) and similar physical features in modern animals--is assembled and interpreted by scientists. She also traces the evolution of dino art, from Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins' fanciful reconstructions of heavy-bodied giant lizards to today's images of quick, deft, graceful creatures. In support, examples of Hawkins' approximations and the once-authoritative dinosaur paintings of Charles R. Knight from the first half of the 20th century contrast sharply with more detailed and dramatic scenes, often of the same dinosaurs, by Greg Paul and other currently active artists the author has interviewed. Sketch pages, alternative color patterns on the same model dino, and facing images of a Deinonychus before and after the discovery of fossilized feathers provide further insight into paleoart's methods, challenges and rewards. Required reading for serious dinophiles. (biographical appendix, source list, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 11-13) Copyright Kirkus 2013 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved. - School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2013 October
Gr 5â7âThis is a stellar look at the methods paleoartists employ to bring dinosaurs to life on paper. With a fascinating mix of text, expert quotes, and outstanding artwork, it showcases an aspect of paleontology that kids may not know much about. A lot of books focus on the action at paleontological digs and the reconstruction of what is found in them, but Thimmesh spotlights the gifted individuals who combine their talent with the latest scientific knowledge to layer muscles and flesh onto skeletal remains, adding another intriguing dimension to the study of these ancient creatures. These artistic sleuths pull together clues from plant and rock studies and other sources to create images as thrilling for the youngest dinosaur enthusiasts as they are informative for the most studied researchers. The highlighted paleoartists' renderings get full-bleed treatment, providing readers with a variety of spectacular interpretations of how dinosaurs appeared when they roamed the planet. Complementing the exceptional illustrations is an engaging, informative text written in a conversational tone. Artist profiles are included. The book is presented in a striking palette of saturated earth tones, completing a terrific package that will draw in browsers and serve report writers while inspiring young artists to consider applying their skills to this enthralling field.âAlyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR
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