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My Visit to the Dinosaurs
A small boy visits a museum where he learns about many kinds of dinosaurs and their interesting habits
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1969
About the author
Aliki
188 books75 followersAliki has written and illustrated many books, both fiction and nonfiction, loved by readers throughout the world. The books were inspired by a word, an experience, or the desire to find out. Aliki lives in London, England.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 11, 2018
One of several titles Aliki has written on the topic - including
Digging Up Dinosaurs
,
Dinosaur Bones
and
Dinosaurs Are Different
- this entry in the Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science Book series follows a young boy on his visit to the museum to see the dinosaurs. After a brief section describing how, together with his father and sister, the boy came to visit the museum, as well as a very general explanation of the history of dinosaurs - what they are and how they were discovered - the majority of the book is given over to descriptions of the various well-known dinosaur species.
Originally published in 1969, and then reprinted in this 1985 edition (I believe it has also been more recently re-released, with updated illustrations), My Visit to the Dinosaurs is an engaging science book for beginning readers. As a friend and fellow-reviewer has noted, much has been discovered in the field of paleontology since this was written, but I think the information presented here is general enough that that will not pose a problem. I probably wouldn't have picked this up, were it not one of our July dinosaur-themed selections for the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, but I'm glad I did. As someone who visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York City many times as a child, I immediately recognized the setting, and the young narrator's enthusiasm brought back many happy memories!
Originally published in 1969, and then reprinted in this 1985 edition (I believe it has also been more recently re-released, with updated illustrations), My Visit to the Dinosaurs is an engaging science book for beginning readers. As a friend and fellow-reviewer has noted, much has been discovered in the field of paleontology since this was written, but I think the information presented here is general enough that that will not pose a problem. I probably wouldn't have picked this up, were it not one of our July dinosaur-themed selections for the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, but I'm glad I did. As someone who visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York City many times as a child, I immediately recognized the setting, and the young narrator's enthusiasm brought back many happy memories!
July 13, 2010
My nostalgic side would give this book four stars since it appeared on one of my favorite episodes of Reading Rainbow when I was a kid (I think the story they read in its entirety was Digging Up Dinosaurs and then they used the illustrations in this book and slightly modified the text for another segment). Reading it now, I would have to go with three stars. Although originally written in the late 1960s (and my copy was revised in the early '80s), I think the information is basic enough that it could still fit well as an introduction to paleontology for children today--both the methods to discover dinosaurs and the dinosaurs themselves. The child's excitement at seeing dinosaurs at the museum is definitely there and it's nice to see a father taking his children for a day to the museum. But, overall, the story just didn't have enough factual information to be that interesting scientifically or enough of a story or emotion to really resonate. As is, it walked a line between story and science and did a decent job with both.
July 2, 2010
Well, I’m sure it’s factual as of 1969 when it was published and 1985 when this edition came out, though so much has been learned about dinosaurs since then, so I had to wonder if there is updated information. I suspect there are better and more accurate books that cover the same subject matter.
Children who are fascinated by dinosaurs should enjoy this book. The information about different types of dinosaurs was presented in an interesting manner. A boy goes with his father and younger sister to the museum to see the dinosaur skeletons and learn information about them. That’s the fictional part of the story. The information about the dinosaurs is non-fiction. Somehow the presentation didn’t wow me though.
The illustrations were okay. I liked the ones with the dinosaurs shown as alive in their natural habitats. I didn’t really like the way the people were drawn. The museum scenes were interesting enough.
I read this for the Children's Books group Picture Books Club, where the July theme is dinosaurs.
Children who are fascinated by dinosaurs should enjoy this book. The information about different types of dinosaurs was presented in an interesting manner. A boy goes with his father and younger sister to the museum to see the dinosaur skeletons and learn information about them. That’s the fictional part of the story. The information about the dinosaurs is non-fiction. Somehow the presentation didn’t wow me though.
The illustrations were okay. I liked the ones with the dinosaurs shown as alive in their natural habitats. I didn’t really like the way the people were drawn. The museum scenes were interesting enough.
I read this for the Children's Books group Picture Books Club, where the July theme is dinosaurs.
July 16, 2012
This is a dinosaur book I remember from my childhood. Today, I can see how much is outdated--the illustrations are rather rough and unpolished, and dinosaurs are shown in the old "dragging-tail" posture. Still, this would be an acceptable reading choice for a field trip to the museum.
October 5, 2021
Review originally published on my blog,
Dragon Bite Books
.
This book is an encyclopedia that tries to disguise itself as a story. A family (father, brother, little sister) visits the museum to see the skeletons of extinct dinosaurs. The observant, unnamed narrator marvels at the completed puzzle of the skeleton, using a collection of real and plaster bones, and at the size of the skeletons. The book briefly touches on how fossilization happens and how fossils are discovered and on the research done by paleontologists.
As it was published in 1969, it seems unfair to judge it by the accuracy of its paleontological information. We’ve learned a lot about prehistoric creatures since 1969. We’ve learned a lot just in the last decade. (If you’re about my age and have not had the chance to dive into recent research on prehistory, I can’t recommend PBS Eons enough!) This lists some dinosaurs—and for its time, I was impressed by the variety of dinosaurs; there were some with which I was unfamiliar (Styracosaurus, Ornitholestes)—and some very basic beliefs about their species held in the 60s, the majority of which, I would say, have more or less held true, though take these facts with large amounts of salt, especially when the book makes assertions like “It was the biggest and heaviest dinosaur there ever was” (said of Brachiosaurus, 14; that title currently belongs to Argentinosaurus, first identified in 1987). There is a whole genre of scientific illustration called paleoart, where artists attempt to render extinct animals to the best current scientific knowledge. Early in paleoart, dinosaurs were mostly considered slow, lumbering creatures with dragging tails. The “Dinosaur Renaissance,” roughly 1970-2010, saw ideas about dinosaur anatomy and behavior start to change. This book just missed that Renaissance, and Aliki’s illustrations here are closer to that era of paleoart than more modern drawings, although her Orintholestes may have been ahead of its time.
Apart from being dated now, this is a fairly solid nonfiction. The fictional piece of this story almost seems out of place though. I appreciate the attempt, but it seems unnecessary in a book whose function is so much more that of an encyclopedia.
This book is an encyclopedia that tries to disguise itself as a story. A family (father, brother, little sister) visits the museum to see the skeletons of extinct dinosaurs. The observant, unnamed narrator marvels at the completed puzzle of the skeleton, using a collection of real and plaster bones, and at the size of the skeletons. The book briefly touches on how fossilization happens and how fossils are discovered and on the research done by paleontologists.
As it was published in 1969, it seems unfair to judge it by the accuracy of its paleontological information. We’ve learned a lot about prehistoric creatures since 1969. We’ve learned a lot just in the last decade. (If you’re about my age and have not had the chance to dive into recent research on prehistory, I can’t recommend PBS Eons enough!) This lists some dinosaurs—and for its time, I was impressed by the variety of dinosaurs; there were some with which I was unfamiliar (Styracosaurus, Ornitholestes)—and some very basic beliefs about their species held in the 60s, the majority of which, I would say, have more or less held true, though take these facts with large amounts of salt, especially when the book makes assertions like “It was the biggest and heaviest dinosaur there ever was” (said of Brachiosaurus, 14; that title currently belongs to Argentinosaurus, first identified in 1987). There is a whole genre of scientific illustration called paleoart, where artists attempt to render extinct animals to the best current scientific knowledge. Early in paleoart, dinosaurs were mostly considered slow, lumbering creatures with dragging tails. The “Dinosaur Renaissance,” roughly 1970-2010, saw ideas about dinosaur anatomy and behavior start to change. This book just missed that Renaissance, and Aliki’s illustrations here are closer to that era of paleoart than more modern drawings, although her Orintholestes may have been ahead of its time.
Apart from being dated now, this is a fairly solid nonfiction. The fictional piece of this story almost seems out of place though. I appreciate the attempt, but it seems unnecessary in a book whose function is so much more that of an encyclopedia.
June 19, 2024
It was a good one because he went to a museum and learned lots. I know that alsoI'm the tyrannosaurus was the king of the dinosaurs. I can't remember what its called the one who was in water and the king.I'm going to go in a museum and see dinosaurs in Canada... I cannot wait. They're going to be so so sooooo big!- Khi 3
July 14, 2020
Nice pictures but I was disappointed that it was not the same size and style as her aquarium and zoo books.
Q2020 book.
Q2020 book.
April 22, 2021
Being a fan of dinosaurs myself, and having animal loving kids, this was a must read. We all enjoyed it very much.
May 15, 2023
A cute story of how dinosaurs became fossils and covering some of the major species.
October 21, 2014
It always amazes me how sometimes you can find old kids books in good condition. The copy of this book I found at Salvation Army today is from '69. A 45 year old kids book, still in great shape. It absolutely astounds me.
This particular book teaches very young kids about fossils, certain types of dinosaurs, and how they are/were believed to have looked and acted. I remember reading a lot of books like this when I was a kid. I lived and breathed Dinosaurs, He-Man, and Construx for the better part of the '80s.
If you're a fan of old books and dinosaurs, then this version of this book would be a pretty nice find. Some drawings are very simplistic, while others are quite detailed. The pictures are mostly shaded black inks, but some have what looks like the use of blue and yellow watercolours overtop of inks. It's a pretty common look for older kids books, as I recall.
The writing does a good job of touching just enough on complex topics like eating habits and the formation of fossils. The only particularly hard words are the names of the dinosaurs, and that's just something you have to deal with if you want to read a book about them to little kids.
Charlotte was excited to have me read it tonight, and to add it to her bookshelf. It's not much of a bedtime book for the first reading, though. Since it was one of her first real dinosaur books as it left her less tired, and more questioning.
This particular book teaches very young kids about fossils, certain types of dinosaurs, and how they are/were believed to have looked and acted. I remember reading a lot of books like this when I was a kid. I lived and breathed Dinosaurs, He-Man, and Construx for the better part of the '80s.
If you're a fan of old books and dinosaurs, then this version of this book would be a pretty nice find. Some drawings are very simplistic, while others are quite detailed. The pictures are mostly shaded black inks, but some have what looks like the use of blue and yellow watercolours overtop of inks. It's a pretty common look for older kids books, as I recall.
The writing does a good job of touching just enough on complex topics like eating habits and the formation of fossils. The only particularly hard words are the names of the dinosaurs, and that's just something you have to deal with if you want to read a book about them to little kids.
Charlotte was excited to have me read it tonight, and to add it to her bookshelf. It's not much of a bedtime book for the first reading, though. Since it was one of her first real dinosaur books as it left her less tired, and more questioning.
September 1, 2011
What were the dinosaurs like? What did they eat? How do we know about them?
In My Visit to the Dinosaurs by Aliki, a Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Book, children can learn about the different kinds of dinosaurs, with information both about the dinosaurs themselves, and how we come to know about them, through fossils.
This one is good, but I don't like it as well as the other two books in this series that I've reviewed, Ducks Don't Get Wet and What Makes Day and Night . The illustrations are nice, but the book is more like a collection of trivia than the other two. Still, it's quite a good book for kids.
I'd recommend My Visit to the Dinosaurs especially for kids interested in dinosaurs, but anyone might find it interesting. It's a solid children's picture book, well worth reading.
This review also appears on my blog.
In My Visit to the Dinosaurs by Aliki, a Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Book, children can learn about the different kinds of dinosaurs, with information both about the dinosaurs themselves, and how we come to know about them, through fossils.
This one is good, but I don't like it as well as the other two books in this series that I've reviewed, Ducks Don't Get Wet and What Makes Day and Night . The illustrations are nice, but the book is more like a collection of trivia than the other two. Still, it's quite a good book for kids.
I'd recommend My Visit to the Dinosaurs especially for kids interested in dinosaurs, but anyone might find it interesting. It's a solid children's picture book, well worth reading.
This review also appears on my blog.
January 24, 2013
While the pictures in this book are nice, it reads more like a dinosaur identification guide than a story. This would be fine except that there are much better dinosaur identification guides, such as those by Dorling Kindersley. These have actual photographic and photorealistic renderings of dinosaurs, and what a better way to learn identification? A pronunciation guide is also a nice touch that this book lacks.
June 21, 2013
Buku pilihan ibu yang diiyakan Damar untuk dibeli di BBC Baltos. Dinosaurus lagi dinosaurus lagi :D. Damar memang masih suka sama buku-buku dinosaurus padahal informasi yang dia dapat masih sama. Kelebihan buku ini pada ilustrasinya yang berkesan imut. Tidak ada cerita panjang mengenai kehidupan para dinosaurus. Hanya ada deskripsi singkat mengenai beberapa jenis yang populer misalnya brachiosaurus, stegosaurus, triceratops, allosaurus, dan diakhiri dengan si raja dinosaurus, T-rex.
October 17, 2013
"My Visit to the Dinosaurs," by Aliki, is a story about a boy going to a museum with his father and younger sister to see dinosaurs. Within the framework of the story is a lot of information about dinosaurs that was considered factual some 30-60 years ago, but now is out dated and wrong. For instance, sauropods did not live in water, and dinosaurs did not drag their tails behind them. There's better, more current books available for young readers interested in dinosaurs.
July 13, 2010
It really reminded me of my trip to the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum with my son. I think the author did a nice job of defining terms and illustrations were done quite well. It certainly captures the excitement of going to the museum.
March 5, 2012
I used to own this book as a kid and as soon as I saw it when I was shelf reading in the library I had to read it and it brought back some memories, it was kind of nice.
Then I realized books like this are probably why I'm so into dinosaurs.
Then I realized books like this are probably why I'm so into dinosaurs.
November 28, 2014
This was a nice introduction to dinosaurs. The book felt a bit dated to me, but I found out that it was written in 1969, which makes it older than I am. I think some of the dinosaur names may have changed over time. All in all, I thought it was a decent story.
April 20, 2025
This is such an interesting little book about dinosaurs. A family goes to a museum to see dinosaur skeletons. The word palaeontologist is mentioned. There are 14 dinosaurs featured in this book, each with a brief description. Nicely illustrated.
September 26, 2010
This was my favorite book when i was a kid!
Read
April 28, 2011This is another great informational book for introducing dinosaurs in a lesson or maybe even ending a unit. It describes a lot of different dinosaurs in the book.
April 23, 2012
This would be a book that you could use to integrate science and literature for early grades. It tells you all about dinosaurs!
April 19, 2013
47 months - Not necessarily the best book on dinosaurs and it's likely out of date but still an ok read for any kid interested in the creatures.
March 8, 2013
This is a great story for your dinosaur lovers. It goes over some of the history of dinosaur lives through a child's perspective who is visiting a museum.
July 29, 2014
This book gave information about different dinosaurs.
June 8, 2015
This book is a lesson in scientific knowledge changing as we receive new evidence. Still it was annoying to read so many dinosaur 'facts' that are not true.
January 19, 2024
✭ 𝟏/𝟓
keep them extinct 😊.
(school book 🎓.)
keep them extinct 😊.
(school book 🎓.)
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August 16, 20182645
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews