Dinosaurs: A Nonfiction Companion to Dinosaurs Before Dark

This is a "Fact Tracker" book by Magic School House. I really like that they use the scientific names and then give the common name for the different eras of dinosaurs. The little facts on the sides of the pages are neat as they give quick tidbits of info or define terms. The chapters show how to organized the information about the dinosaurs. The diagrams in the illustrations are great and make the book seem more scientific and interesting than if it was just text. My favorite part is the pictures of the kids with the physical characteristics of some dinosaurs, it adds humor to the book. My 4 1/2 year old laughed so hard at the kid with the long neck.

The Magic Tree House series released a secondary series of nonfiction books for children that offer factual information about certain books in the fiction series. The first book in the Fact Tracker series matches the first book in the Tree House series, appropriately focused on dinosaurs. The book covers a broad range of factual information about these famous extinct animals, from the different types of fossils to the kinds of dinosaurs, the three eons when dinosaurs lived to dinosaur babies. The information is broken into small chapters focused on each topic. The book disseminates information in a direct and easy style that was perfect for children, and it uses the characters Jack and Annie to interject some fun trivia and humor that show more invites kids to engage more deeply with the information. For instance, they hold up signs, ask questions, share jokes, and give teasers about coming information. Furthermore, the book is liberally filled with illustrations, that help young readers better grasp the details being taught. Truly, this book demonstrates an excellent approach to teaching children about nonfiction topics in a fun and engaging way. show less

The "Magic Tree House Research Guide: Dinosaurs" was a very informational book to read. This book series stems off of the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. The Dinosaurs research guide specifically is a nonfiction companion for the Magic Tree House Dinosaurs Before Dark. I like how the authors give an abundant amount of information about dinosaurs, fossils, what they eat, dinosaurs that swim/fly, and what happened to them. Throughout the text, the authors bring in insight from Jack and Annie, who are the stars from the Magic Tree House series, and make it seem like Jack and Annie are doing the research. I also like how there are pictures, illustrations, and diagrams throughout the book that make it more interesting for the show more reader. I would highly recommend this book for research or even just an informational read! show less

This is an excellent companion guide to the Magic Tree House "Dinosaurs Before Dark" book, or for any young readers interested in dinosaurs. Told in the same narrative format as the books, with sidebars from the book's characters, children will find this an easy read, although they might miss the bright pictures included in other dinosaur research books. This research guide includes pronunciation guides throughout the book, illustrations and "hand written" notes, a guide at the end to finding more information, websites and much more, which make it accessible to readers.

I did not like this book only for the fact that I really do not have an interest for dinosaurs. I did learn a lot of information about the different types of dinosaurs though. The illustrations were very helpful when the author was describing the various dinosaurs. For example, most photographs are labeled in detail like one of the Brachiosaurus on pages 78-79. The writing all flows under its topic of the chapter. Mr. Osborne did not put plant - eater information in the flying creatures chapter. The message of the story was to inform the readers of facts that the author finds while researching topics.

The main message was to give factual information about dinosaurs to readers who are interested in learning further more about them.

When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark, they had lots of questions. When did the dinosaurs live? What other animals lived at that time? Which dinosaur was biggest? How do we know about dinosaurs? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts. Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discovered in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures.

Very informative! Much information. (The biggest carnivore was Giganotosaurus. The biggest herbivore was Seismosaurus. I did not know either of these basic facts!)