Up Close & Incredible: Dinosaurs
A super book about dinosaurs that might well spark an interest in palaeontology and science in general. On each spread, an army of tiny people climb a different dino skeleton, digging, cleaning, probing, measuring and recording, leaving behind a trail of mayhem, reminiscent of the busy, bustling worlds of Richard Scarry. Included with the book is a magnifying glass, so budding scientists can hunt for the tools a palaeontologist needs, then be challenged to find ten visual gags on every page.
The author’s enthusiasm shines through the writing. He shows children scientists are fallible; people used to think Diplodocus roamed the seas with a blowhole like a whale! Did a dino’s spikes defend it from attackers, or act like drumsticks, making music to attract a mate or even send messages? What colour were dinosaurs at all? As yet, no one knows! Bones millions of years old do leave a lot to the imagination.
The illustrations support the sense that science is accessible to all, with a wide representation of children depicted. The colour palette is muted, a good choice with so much going on. There’s a glossary for tricky terms, timelines of discoveries, and at a glance visual guides giving size comparisons to humans.
Overall, you feel the message here is that work is play when you love it, there are great adventures to be had outdoors, and no one should be afraid to make mistakes – scientists do it all the time, that’s how we develop knowledge! A joyful book.
