Dinosaurus

Dinosaurs, fossils, and reptiles, oh my... The whole family can become paleontology experts with this illustrated dictionary of 100+ terms for prehistoric animals!

This delightful prehistoric dictionary defines more than 100 words and phrases alongside informative entries, phonetic spellings to help pronounce the names of prehistoric creatures, and detailed anatomical illustrations.

Meet incredible dinosaurs, from the iconic to the lesser known.

• Carnotaurus: This Cretaceous predator from what is now South America is regularly cast as a villain in dinosaur pop culture.

Discover the many prehistoric beasts who coexisted with dinosaurs.

• Pliosaurs: With mouths up to 6.5 feet in length filled with 8-inch teeth, these marine reptiles were amongst the most formidable-looking predators the world has ever known.

Break down "deep time" to understand the rise and fall of dinosaurs.

• Carnian Pluvial Event: About 234 million years ago, the rock record shows a huge increase in global rainfall that had staggering implications for the future diversity of life.

Learn about Mesozoic geography and contemporary locations where fossils have been discovered.

• Tanis: A fossil site in North Dakota where remains from the day the asteroid struck are thought to have been discovered. 

Learn scientific terms to understand how modern paleontology works

• Melanosomes: Microscopic structures that help detect color in dinosaurs.

The ultimate reference guide to the prehistoric era, Dinosaurus belongs on every dinosaur buff's bookshelf.BOOKLIST
"Charles' reference work offers a concise, accessible introduction to the world of dinosaurs and geologic time. This compact work is structured into five thematic chapters, rather than the usual alphabetical arrangement, providing a unique approach to understanding prehistoric life...While not a typical dictionary, the book's strength lies in its focused and accessible explanations of complex concepts relating to geological time periods, terminology relevant to dinosaur study, and descriptions of lesser-known dinosaurs...Budding paleontologists will find this compact work on the world of dinosaurs and geologic time a useful introduction."

FOREWORD REVIEWS
"An up-to-date and informative reference book that’s packed with quality science, useful illustrations, and interesting trivia...While the dinosaurs themselves are the stars of the book, the book gives similar treatment to other animals that shared the world with dinosaurs, from prehistoric fish to the mammal ancestor Morganucodon. The book also walks through the various eras of prehistoric history up through the Ice Age, covering the way life evolved in each, the mass extinctions that shaped the world, and the physical changes to the planet that broke up supercontinents and allowed species to evolve along separate paths. While it packs in a lot of information, its style is accessible and its range of entries provides additional context. It all adds up to a reference text that’s more fun than most dictionaries without skimping on the science. Dinosaurus is a handy guide to the world of prehistoric animals and the science of what people know about them."

LIBRARY JOURNAL
"A valuable resource for readers just beginning to explore the multiplicity of prehistoric life...The detailed illustrations by Storm depict the creatures in skeletal form, with silhouettes suggesting musculature, feathers, and wings...[and] by highlighting the skeletal structure, Charles and Storm show the astonishing diversity and extreme adaptations that developed in the Mesozoic era. An information-packed resource, well suited to new dinosaur enthusiasts."RHYS CHARLES is the Public Engagement Associate for the Faculty of Science, and Engagement Officer for Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol, where he also runs the Bristol Dinosaur Project. Rhys completed his masters degree in Palaeontology & Evolution at Bristol and has previously worked in curation at Bristol Museum, and as a ranger at Bristol Zoo. He is the author of The Little Book of Dinosaurs and Frozen in Time.

SAVANNAH STORM is a freelance illustrator based in the UK.