Dinosaur Encyclopedia: From Dinosaurs to the Dawn of Man - Hardcover

From water "woodlice" as big as a platter to Diplocaulus with boomerang-shaped heads, from the colossal titanosaur to Neanderthal "cave people," the world of prehistoric animals is mind-boggling. Budding young paleontologists will find everything they need to know to begin their studies with Dorling Kindersley's impressive Dinosaur Encyclopedia and Dinosaur Hunter CD-ROM. Divided into four sections--Fish and Invertebrates, Amphibians and Reptiles, Dinosaurs and Birds, and Mammals and Their Ancestors--the thick volume describes just what kinds of critters have walked, swum, slithered, and flown the earth. Breathtaking photographs, realistic models, and full-page reconstructions of prehistoric environments allow the reader to enter the mysterious landscapes of these ancient behemoths, while comprehensive and easy-to-use text explores how animals evolved, how scientists find and use fossils, and when, where, and how various creatures lived and died. A timeline bar enables readers to determine the geological era in which a given animal lived, fact boxes provide a quick profile of the main creature featured in each animal entry, and a large reference section provides a fossil timeline, paleontological processes, biographies of leading scientists, and tips for the amateur fossil hunter. Wow! All this, and fun to read, too! (Ages 8 and older) --Emilie Coulter

David Lambert, MA, is the author of more than a dozen books on prehistoric life. He has also written about natural history and earth sciences. David won the Rhone-Poulenc Prizes for Science Books Junior Prize in 1998 for a book on oceans; and he shared the prize in 1994 for DK's Ultimate Dinosaur Book. In 1990, David received a New York Academy of Sciences Award for a geological field guide and, in 1978, a U.S. National Science Teachers Association Children's Book Council Award. Darren Naish, BSc, MPhil, combines research for his doctorate in theropod dinosaurs with his work as a writer. He is the author of numerous popular articles and technical papers on predatory dinosaurs, marine reptiles, marine mammals, and other animals. He has also written books about dinosaurs both for a general audience and for a specialized readership. He finds the world of animals fascinating, and is interested in their evolution, behavior, and conservation. Elizabeth Wyse, BA, has worked as a writer and editor for a number of years. She has contributed to many titles, including Millennium Family Encyclopedia, Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia, Atlas of World History, and Eyewitness Atlas of the World. Mark A. Norell BSc, MSc, PhD, is Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, in New York. He specializes in the study of theropod dinosaurs and has taken part in more than 20 international expeditions, discovering and examining fossils. Mark also lectures and writes on paleontology for all age groups. Awards Scientific American's Young Readers Book of the Year for a book on dinosaurs published in 1995, Mark's writing is major scientific journals is also highly acclaimed. Within the last 10 years, he has had two articles listed within Time magazine's annual 10 most significant science stories. He actively participates in several international scientific societies and is a fellow of the Willi Hennig Society, which promotes a cladistic approach to evolution. Jin Meng, BA, PhD, studied in Beijing, China, before receiving a doctorate from Columbia University. He is currently Assistant Curator of Vertebrae Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, in New York. Specializing in the evolution of mammals, Jin believes that fieldwork is a critical and fun part of his research. He therefore devotes two months a year to working in the field. His writing has been published in numerous scientific journals.