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Alphasaurs And Other Prehistoric Types
The award-winning creators of Alphabeasties and Bugs but the Numbers have gone prehistoric! Using letters in an artful assortment of type, the famed duo create a menagerie of dazzling dinosaurs and pack each page with captivating dino-facts. This sophisticated rendering of dinosaur-ologu will leap out from other dino-books to entrain, engage, and educate aspiring paleontologists.
56 pages, Hardcover
First published November 26, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 21, 2018
I loved this! Combining dinosaurs and typography, two things I like, to create visually stunning and beautiful portraits of a number of dinosaurs and other ancient reptiles. Using blocks of colour and a few interesting facts on each ancient reptile, the author and illustrator used a different typeface to create each creature. The typefaces were selected to best illustrate “...the personality or characteristic of each dinosaur.” I particularly liked the recreations of the allosaurus, giganotosaurus, utahraptor and the zuniceratops.
September 9, 2013
I need a younger child to test this on. My thinking is that it's brilliant on so many levels: as an ABC, as a dino-factoid book, as a work of art for the dino illustrations built out of letters, but also for the col pages that are die-cut and fold-out.
But I don't know. Maybe that's just me being all font-geeky and maybe an actual child would find it had too little info about dinos? Sure, I mean, yes, obviously, there are some children who would feel that way. But those children are theoretical to me, and not like any of the kids I've actually known.
The coolest book for fans of this kind of thing, regardless of age.
Library copy.
But I don't know. Maybe that's just me being all font-geeky and maybe an actual child would find it had too little info about dinos? Sure, I mean, yes, obviously, there are some children who would feel that way. But those children are theoretical to me, and not like any of the kids I've actually known.
The coolest book for fans of this kind of thing, regardless of age.
Library copy.
May 3, 2013
I LOVE this book, and so does my 5 year old, isn't that great?! :) Alphasars and Other Prehistoric Types is an A-Z book of Dinosaurs and such but done in a refreshing and wonderful fashion.
Flipping to a random page in the book I come to Parasaurolophus -phew what a mouthful- and as with every other page, the creature takes main stage but it is created using ONLY the upper and lower-case letters that it begins with. So the Parasaurolophus is only comprised of p's and P's. Each dinosaur also comes with the phonetic spelling of the word to make pronunciation easier.
With every page wonderfully illustrated and the phonetic spelling this was already a hit for me. But then you add even more into an already great book. Each page tells you how long ago that creature lived and what it ate. Then there are facts on the page, but with as many matching letter words as possible. For example (going with my earlier example)"it was as long as 50 pencils placed tip to tip".
This is a wonderful book, and one that I would gladly own, think I may need to hunt it out.
Flipping to a random page in the book I come to Parasaurolophus -phew what a mouthful- and as with every other page, the creature takes main stage but it is created using ONLY the upper and lower-case letters that it begins with. So the Parasaurolophus is only comprised of p's and P's. Each dinosaur also comes with the phonetic spelling of the word to make pronunciation easier.
With every page wonderfully illustrated and the phonetic spelling this was already a hit for me. But then you add even more into an already great book. Each page tells you how long ago that creature lived and what it ate. Then there are facts on the page, but with as many matching letter words as possible. For example (going with my earlier example)"it was as long as 50 pencils placed tip to tip".
This is a wonderful book, and one that I would gladly own, think I may need to hunt it out.
January 27, 2019
Alphasaurs includes 26 dinosaurs from A to Z. The dinosaurs themselves are shaped by the first letters of their names in upper and lower case placed together to form the dinosaur. The dinosaur facts on each page provide information about fossil discoveries, behavior, and size often with alliteration emphasizing the letter of the page.
Each dinosaur name includes a phonetic spelling. The range of dinosaurs in this book will especially appeal to young children who like dinosaurs and already know about them. For children who are not interested in dinosaur details, the names are long and the information is specific. Children with merely a passing interest in dinosaurs may not be interested, for example, that the Zuniceratops is name for Zuni people from North America.
The inclusion of a few fold-out pages add an element of interest and surprise as varied pages expand to include the mouth, neck or tail of a dinosaur. The realistic shapes of the dinosaurs formed by letters is the most impressive element of this book.
I would recommend this book for children ages 3-10, especially for dinosaur fans. This book is a feat of design celebrating the shape and line of dinosaurs and the letters of the alphabet. Composed of varied shades of gray, each dinosaur conveys texture and movement. This is a book that parents will enjoy reading as well.
Each dinosaur name includes a phonetic spelling. The range of dinosaurs in this book will especially appeal to young children who like dinosaurs and already know about them. For children who are not interested in dinosaur details, the names are long and the information is specific. Children with merely a passing interest in dinosaurs may not be interested, for example, that the Zuniceratops is name for Zuni people from North America.
The inclusion of a few fold-out pages add an element of interest and surprise as varied pages expand to include the mouth, neck or tail of a dinosaur. The realistic shapes of the dinosaurs formed by letters is the most impressive element of this book.
I would recommend this book for children ages 3-10, especially for dinosaur fans. This book is a feat of design celebrating the shape and line of dinosaurs and the letters of the alphabet. Composed of varied shades of gray, each dinosaur conveys texture and movement. This is a book that parents will enjoy reading as well.
September 9, 2017
Alphasaurs and Other Prehistoric Types is an alphabet book only containing dinosaur names A-Z, that includes fun facts about each species. I think this is such a creative way to teach kids their ABC’s, while also educating them on dinosaurs. Each page gives a dinosaurs name starting with the letter, as well as, fun facts that revolve around that letter as well. The pictures are fantastic because each dinosaur is illustrated only using the letter its name starts with. There are also flaps to flip up that reveal more information, so it allows the child to interact with the story while reading. This book appeals to children because it is different from most alphabet books that are along the lines of, “A as in Apple,” with just a picture of an apple on the page. This book allows kids to learn in a way that does not feel like learning. The pages are eye catching and interactive, so kids are entertained the whole time they are reading.
October 5, 2017
Makes me wish I knew more about type, or is it font? I OD know I love it!
July 14, 2013
This book by far is the coolest dinosaur book I have seen! It not only is a nonfiction book about dinosaurs, but it is an Alphabet book from A-Z about Dinosaurs. The illustrations and design in one of my favorites!
This book would be great for an history about dinosaurs. It has a lot of interesting and factual information about dinosaurs. I like how much information you receive about dinosaurs in this book and each dinosaur is created using typography. Typography refers to the way letters look and how they are used. In this case, they were used to make each dinosaur. The illustrations with the design and the information is what caught my attention. It is not just one piece of information--each dinosaur on each page has lots of factual information about them and it is compared to things children would know (e.g. chickens, lizards, cheetahs). It also gives you the pronounciation of each dinosaur--which I found was SUPER helpful when trying to read it.
I would absolutely refer this book to anyone. It is a great nonfiction book about dinosaurs and I think it would interesting for students to read. The whole design of the book is very interesting and unique.
This book would be great for an history about dinosaurs. It has a lot of interesting and factual information about dinosaurs. I like how much information you receive about dinosaurs in this book and each dinosaur is created using typography. Typography refers to the way letters look and how they are used. In this case, they were used to make each dinosaur. The illustrations with the design and the information is what caught my attention. It is not just one piece of information--each dinosaur on each page has lots of factual information about them and it is compared to things children would know (e.g. chickens, lizards, cheetahs). It also gives you the pronounciation of each dinosaur--which I found was SUPER helpful when trying to read it.
I would absolutely refer this book to anyone. It is a great nonfiction book about dinosaurs and I think it would interesting for students to read. The whole design of the book is very interesting and unique.
February 5, 2013
I enjoyed this book personally, but I am a little confused about the intended audience. It is a dinosaur alphabet book with brief text, so one would assume it is for preschoolers, but the delicate die-cut gatefolds will be destroyed in less than a day. My four year old declared it boring, and I think the dinosaurs made out of letters were too abstract for her. So, maybe K-3, but this is definitely not for beginning readers, with the challenging layout, some very small print, and multicolored words with letters that vary in size. K-3 group read aloud? Nope, it is nonlinear and doesn't have good pacing. Any older kids might be turned off by the alphabet book format and the brief, scattershot information. So, if you are looking for a book to share individually with a K-3rd grader who is into dinos and graphic design- this is a wonderful choice. Otherwise, an awkward fit.
February 27, 2015
Nonfiction/Twin Text Entry #3
The nonfiction book I chose was "Alphasaurs and Other Prehistoric Types" and the fiction book I paired it with is, "How do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?" I loved both of these books. In the nonfiction text it goes through the alphabet and gives us facts about a dinosaur that starts with whatever letter you are on. The reason I paired it with the fiction book is because that book goes through the different ways dinosaurs could say good night. However, while going through each different way a dinosaur could to go sleep at night they are switching between the different types of dinosaurs. So if a child were to read the nonfiction book first then the fiction book the child may be able to recognize and even show off by giving some interesting facts about those different dinosaurs.
The nonfiction book I chose was "Alphasaurs and Other Prehistoric Types" and the fiction book I paired it with is, "How do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?" I loved both of these books. In the nonfiction text it goes through the alphabet and gives us facts about a dinosaur that starts with whatever letter you are on. The reason I paired it with the fiction book is because that book goes through the different ways dinosaurs could say good night. However, while going through each different way a dinosaur could to go sleep at night they are switching between the different types of dinosaurs. So if a child were to read the nonfiction book first then the fiction book the child may be able to recognize and even show off by giving some interesting facts about those different dinosaurs.
August 30, 2013
This book deserves 6 stars! Each letter of the alphabet is a different dinosaur; the illustrations were created using a variety of sizes of typesetting of the letter for the name of the dinosaur. Also included are interesting short facts about each dinosaur. Some pages lift up high, fold out sideways, or fold down. When the dinosaur is compared to something else for size (animal or object), the comparison begins with the same letter as the dinosaur! (Brachiosaurous compared to basketball court; hydrotherosaurus compared to a hippo) This is a book to spend time pouring over. It would also be an excellent introduction to a unit on dinosaurs or a research project on dinosaurs.
September 20, 2015
This book takes the alphabet to a whole new level. Yes, there is a page for each letter with a dinosaur to match, but the dinosaurs themselves are created with typography - using the letter itself repeated to create the shape of the creature.
A great book for readers who love dinosaurs and playful language. Each page contains information about each animal, shared as accessible facts. Some pages have paper flaps that allow the reader to explore to find even more information.
Overall this is a fun and informational book!
A great book for readers who love dinosaurs and playful language. Each page contains information about each animal, shared as accessible facts. Some pages have paper flaps that allow the reader to explore to find even more information.
Overall this is a fun and informational book!
November 7, 2012
normally I am a little skeptical of dinosaur oriented books because we only have fossils and yet illustrations speculate on color and texture of skin. This book is different though. All the dinosaurs are made of letters. They used different typefaces for each dinosaur and used the first letter in the name of the dinosaur in order to illustrate it! genius! each page is letter themed in a-z order. fun flaps provide additional information in creative and unique ways. fun book.
February 20, 2013
Cool cool neato cool book. It's not really an alphabet book (I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 4 unless they are HUGE dino fans) - I think using the alphabet format is just a clever way to organize the book and it IS clever. My interest in dinosaurs really started when the first Land Before Time movie came out and fizzled out until the Jurassic Park books/movies. However, I found this book very fascinating!
February 28, 2013
preS-g3
WOW. This is an amazing book. It goes through the alphabet of dinosaur names. What is unique is that the letter type helps illustrate the story - literally. For example, many letter A's and a's create the shape of the allosaurus. Then examples at the bottom also use the shape of the capital letter A for "Angry and Agressive" to describe it. Or the size example uses "a" words to describe the Allasaurus height - "as tall as a apple tree and weighed as much as an automobile."
WOW. This is an amazing book. It goes through the alphabet of dinosaur names. What is unique is that the letter type helps illustrate the story - literally. For example, many letter A's and a's create the shape of the allosaurus. Then examples at the bottom also use the shape of the capital letter A for "Angry and Agressive" to describe it. Or the size example uses "a" words to describe the Allasaurus height - "as tall as a apple tree and weighed as much as an automobile."
April 29, 2013
Is it just me or are there way more dinosaur types than there used to be? Back in the day, you had your T. Rexes and your triceratops and THAT WAS IT. And you liked it. Now I can't even do a dinosaur storytime without fear that a 2-year old will correct my pronunciation and make me look like an idiot.
November 24, 2013
The illustrations, the fonts, the information presented for an ABC book featuring dinosaurs – perfect. This book will lure the littlest ones into the world of these giants – just by the way they are pictured here – bright, colorful, and interesting.
Also a cute gift for anyone who loves dinosaurs.
Rating: B+
Reread Level: 4.5/5
Also a cute gift for anyone who loves dinosaurs.
Rating: B+
Reread Level: 4.5/5
July 28, 2015
A dinosaur book with an alphabet theme. Fun illustrations compose dinosaurs out of uppercase and lowercase letters. Quirky fold outs and cut outs add more visual adventures. Simple facts about each creature also focus on the beginning letter. Each name is broken down phonetically for dinosaur newbies.
May 3, 2016
This was a great book. I do miss actual pictures of dinosaurs, but using letters to create dinosaurs was really clever and they did an amazing job doing so.
The facts were clear, interesting and concise. The flip out portions were cool. My son loved seeing what was underneath. Great way to keep a child interested.
Thanks for the pronunciations, even I had a hard time with a few of them.
The facts were clear, interesting and concise. The flip out portions were cool. My son loved seeing what was underneath. Great way to keep a child interested.
Thanks for the pronunciations, even I had a hard time with a few of them.
January 13, 2013
I love this book! My second graders study dinosaurs and I can see this book being VERY popular with them. However, while I do love all the flaps they do worry me. I can see this book being torn many times.
March 16, 2013
Fun illustrations using varied sizes and fonts of the initial letter in each creature's name. Love the die-cut pages, the offbeat facts, and the pronunciation helps. Overall, this is a winner with upper elementary readers.
April 25, 2013
Wow, so much going on here. A great example of executing a simple idea in a very meticulous way. The content would make it a good fit for older elementary and not those learning their ABCS. This is def a book from the inforgraphic movement full of playful and thoughtful graphic design.
February 21, 2014
A book of alphabetic dinosaur creations. Each letter is represented by a type of dinosaur then each shape of the animal is crafted by various sizes of the letter. Lots of information is provided in little side notes. Alliterative fun for all along with fun fold-outs.
June 24, 2014
Pre K plus
double page spread
lots of information on page
some pages have pullouts
like the use of the highlighted letter in the dinosaur character as well as the different fonts on the page
color of page sets the tone of book
double page spread
lots of information on page
some pages have pullouts
like the use of the highlighted letter in the dinosaur character as well as the different fonts on the page
color of page sets the tone of book
December 6, 2012
Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss are masters at creating stunning visuals using a variety of typefaces, fold-outs and die-cuts; bold and brilliant.
My full review:
http://bit.ly/UgvXgM
My full review:
http://bit.ly/UgvXgM
December 13, 2012
Very well done dinosaur/alphabet book. It has fun and often funny factoids as well as illustrations of the dinosaurs created with typography.
January 26, 2013
Gorgeous book historical animals illustrated in the letter it starts with. Not sure if a child will appreciate it too
January 27, 2013
If you have young children, grandloves, or students, you must put this book in their hands. AMAZING! It's not just an ABC book, it is so much more!
February 5, 2013
Beautifully informative dinosaur book for kids! Fun facts with flaps and plenty of alliteration. Very cool.
April 11, 2013
The cousin to Alphabeasties and Bugs by the Numbers. Loved all of them!
July 10, 2013
Outstanding design. Includes a lot of interesting information, much of which is presented either graphically or through alliterative text based upon the letter the dinosaur's name begins with.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews