The Natural History Museum Book of Dinosaurs

Of all my serious dino books "The Natural History Museum Book of Dinosaurs" is definitely my favorite. The quote at the end of this review sums up why. There are 2 analogies that best describe TNHMBoD: A more family-friendly version of Sampson's "Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life"; The "Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries" exhibition in book form. If I could, I'd give TNHMBoD a 4.5/5. My only gripes are Sibbick's art in Chapters 1-9 (which is outdated to varying degrees) & the writing in the middle of Chapter 10 (which isn't as good as that in the beginning or end of Chapter 10). However, for the purposes of this review, I'll round up to 5/5. 2 more things of note: Chapter 10 is basically an updated version of Milner's "Dino-Birds"; The NHM keeps updates on "The Dino Directory" when parts of TNHMBoD become outdated.

Taking fossil records as its evidence, "The Natural History Museum Book of Dinosaurs" treats dinosaurs as a group of living animals, making frequent reference to today's animals as a basis for comparison. This popular approach not only accurately mirrors the methods used by palaeontologists in studying dinosaurs, but also satisfies the overwhelming curiosity of people to know what dinosaurs were like when alive. Unlike an encyclopedia, a data book or even a learned exposition, this book is designed to be read from start to finish as the developing story of a remarkable group of animals. The book's direct, clear written style, with all unfamiliar names and technical terms clearly explained, and extensive illustrations make it an ideal introduction to dinosaurs for the older child or adult.