Sunday, March 31, 2019

I Like Dinosaurs

Who doesn't?  I mean, they are just fascinating on so many levels.  Recently while exploring books at my elementary school's media center, I happened upon an older (well loved) book called "Living with Dinosaurs" by Patricia Lauber.  It comes with amazing paintings by Douglas Henderson.  The premise of the book is a snapshot of earth circa 75 million years ago in the region which today is the state of Montana.  75,000,000 years ago (11 million years before the earth of struck by a meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs) Monday was partially submerged by an enormous inland sea.  Lush swamps and primordial jungles gave way to higher plains and semi-desert uplands.  The illustrations are as much a celebration of the land as they are depictions of dinosaurs, and I think that's where their charm and beauty lie.  Here are just a couple of examples.
 Two Albertosaurs stand over a duckbill they have brought down.
 Plant-eating Styracosaurs have a fearsome appearance, with three horns and a spiked neck frill.
 Pteradons soar and glide above the shore of the inland sea.
Leptoseratops has no horns or neck frill, but the bones at the back of its skull form a peak.
 Beside a pond three Corythosaurs find cycads, pine needles, and magnolia leaves to eat.
A Plesiosaur swims near a large shark, which is apparently not hungry.

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