Dinosaurs from Head to Tail

by Stacey Roderick, Kwanchai Moriya (Illustrator)

Overview

From one dinosaur's head to another's tail, this informational picture book challenges readers to guess which prehistoric creature each of eight different body parts belongs to. (For example, “What dinosaur had claws like this?”) For each question, the answer is given on the following spread, with an overview that includes the name of the dinosaur, an illustration of the entire animal in its habitat and facts about the featured body part, such as why it looked the way it did and how scientists believe it was used. The colorful and eye-catching collage illustrations by Kwanchai Moriya offer a unique and friendly approach to the ever-popular subject of dinosaurs. The creatures are a mix of the popular (Tyrannosaurus) and the lesser-known (Therizinosaurus) and allow children the satisfaction of guessing some correctly while learning about others. A pronunciation guide accompanies the first mention of each dinosaur's name. There is also a bonus spread at the end of the book containing a quick look at seven more intriguing dinosaurs. Balancing a captivating picture book experience with just the right level of information, it is an ideal bridge between a basic concept book and a detailed encyclopedic book. It would work perfectly in a group lesson on prehistoric creatures or on animal bodies, with the highly engaging, interactive guessing-game component providing a way of enlivening the classroom discussion. It could also be used individually by higher-level readers as an interesting nonfiction choice or a reference book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771380447
Publisher:	Kids Can Press
Publication date:	03/01/2015
Series:	Head to Tail Series
Pages:	36
Sales rank:	669,190
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD770L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Kwanchai Moriya is an illustrator and painter. He was born in New York and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. He completed his education with a degree in History from the University of California and a degree in Illustration from the Art Center College of Design. Kwanchai lives and works in Los Angeles, California.

Editorial Reviews

While many dinosaur "fact books" meant for small children overwhelm with a practically university-level amount of information, Roderick has edited what she presents on each page down to an ideal amount…Moriya's expressive cut-paper dinosaurs are a marvel of subtle detail and ingenious engineering that may even inspire young dino-lovers to take out scissors and try to emulate them.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

... [an] appealing guessing game of a book ...—The New York Times

Perfect for the dino-kid in your house.—Globe and Mail

Bright collage illustration and a pronunciation key will provide young dinosaur lovers from ages 3 to 7 a fun start to learning.—The Calgary Herald

Adorable and fun, this will likely please budding paleontologists.—Booklist

This brightly colored book will be read and reread ... the details presented will be memorized and gleefully shared with younger siblings.—CM Magazine

A fine choice for a basic introduction to dinosaurs that engages and informs young listeners.—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2015
PreS-Gr 3—Roderick challenges young dinosaur lovers to identify the animals from one of their prominent features. Toothy Tyrannosaurus's jaws and spiky Stegosaurus's back may be familiar, but Therizinosaurus's claws and Parasaurolophus's curved crest will likely stump most children. Each spread following the close-up reveals the entire dinosaur set in a prehistoric landscape. A paragraph of facts about the animal will please older children ready for more than a guessing game while adult readers will appreciate the pronunciation guidance for unfamiliar names. In addition to the eight dinosaurs that are featured, seven others receive a one-sentence introduction next to a small portrait. Moriya's digital collage illustrations incorporate photos and textures. The dinosaurs resemble figures made from construction paper. In fact, some viewers may be inspired to wield scissors and glue to produce their own prehistoric panoramas. VERDICT A fine choice for a basic introduction to dinosaurs that engages and informs young listeners.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato

School Library Journal

2014-12-06
Dinos rendered as cut-paper collages in bright, mostly primary colors pose next to basic facts about each in this gallery for younger devotees.Set up as a guessing game, each entry opens with a spread-sized body part—"What dinosaur had jaws [head, neck, tail, etc.] like this?"—that gives way with a page turn to a full-body view. Along with identifications ("A Tyrannosaurus!"), Roderick supplies three to six simply written sentences of descriptive information for each. The long-clawed plant eater Therizinosaurus and crested Parasaurolophus join the main roster of usual suspects, as does a flying Pteranodon with the proper note that it was not a true dinosaur but a "cousin." Seven other dinosaurs come in for cameos on a closing spread. The digitally assembled visuals reflect the narrative text's simplicity; the dinosaurs, ranging in color from vivid scarlet to clear, pale blue, are made from just a few jaggedly cut pieces and sport the same wide, free-cut round eyes. Moriya adds knobbly textures and subtle brush strokes to the surfaces and places the figures in minimally detailed settings composed of mixed photos and cut paper. One more addition to the thundering herd, easier on the eye than many and as suitable for reading aloud as alone. (Informational picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews