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The Rise and Fall
The Age of Dinosaurs: The Rise and Fall of the World's Most Remarkable Animals
Think you know about dinosaurs? Think again! New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Steve Brusatte brings young scientists and readers everywhere into his world of massive herbivores and fearsome predators, daily unexpected discoveries, and all the new science used to learn about some of the world’s oldest beings.
Even though the dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago, we’re still piecing together new information about these ancient animals.
Did you know that, on average, a new species of dinosaur is discovered every single week? Or that many dinosaurs had feathers? Or that there are even modern-day dinosaurs walking around right now?
New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed paleontologist Steve Brusatte writes about all the new discoveries he and his colleagues have made that help us better understand—and marvel at—these remarkable reptiles.
This exciting nonfiction book for ages 7 to 12 includes a glossary, pronunciation guide, and index, as well as photos throughout. A strong choice for the classroom and for independent reading, and a great source for reports using information direct from an expert in the field.
Even though the dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago, we’re still piecing together new information about these ancient animals.
Did you know that, on average, a new species of dinosaur is discovered every single week? Or that many dinosaurs had feathers? Or that there are even modern-day dinosaurs walking around right now?
New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed paleontologist Steve Brusatte writes about all the new discoveries he and his colleagues have made that help us better understand—and marvel at—these remarkable reptiles.
This exciting nonfiction book for ages 7 to 12 includes a glossary, pronunciation guide, and index, as well as photos throughout. A strong choice for the classroom and for independent reading, and a great source for reports using information direct from an expert in the field.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 2, 2021
50 people are currently reading
2621 people want to read
About the author
Steve Brusatte
19 books437 followersAuthor writes under the penname Stephen Brusatte as well.
Stephen Louis Brusatte (born April 24, 1984) is an American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, who specializes in the anatomy and evolution of dinosaurs. He was educated at the University of Chicago for his BS degree, at the University of Bristol for his MSc on a Marshall Scholarship, and finally at the Columbia University for MPhil and PhD. He is currently a Reader in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to his scientific papers and technical monographs, his popular book Dinosaurs (2008) and the textbook Dinosaur Paleobiology (2012) earned him accolades, and he became the resident palaeontologist and scientific consultant for the BBC Earth and 20th Century Fox's 2013 film Walking With Dinosaurs, which is followed by his popular book Walking with Dinosaurs Encyclopedia. His most recent book The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World (2018), written for the adult lay person, won widespread acclaim, and was a New York Times bestseller.
Stephen Louis Brusatte (born April 24, 1984) is an American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, who specializes in the anatomy and evolution of dinosaurs. He was educated at the University of Chicago for his BS degree, at the University of Bristol for his MSc on a Marshall Scholarship, and finally at the Columbia University for MPhil and PhD. He is currently a Reader in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to his scientific papers and technical monographs, his popular book Dinosaurs (2008) and the textbook Dinosaur Paleobiology (2012) earned him accolades, and he became the resident palaeontologist and scientific consultant for the BBC Earth and 20th Century Fox's 2013 film Walking With Dinosaurs, which is followed by his popular book Walking with Dinosaurs Encyclopedia. His most recent book The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World (2018), written for the adult lay person, won widespread acclaim, and was a New York Times bestseller.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 26, 2023
This version of The Age of Dinosaurs is clearly written for children that are slightly older and young teens. Most of the information, which is written well and understandable, is what you will already know if you like dinosaurs, like me. But there's also more specific info, like bite impact, toothsize, and a lot of other interesting facts. Where it missed the mark for me is the fact that Steve Brusatte likes to pat himself on the shoulder a lot. I don't think children will find it very interesting when, once again, you've been able to discover a species and got to name it. Also the name dropping, that's more for the larger audience. So over all, I was going to rate it 4 stars at first, but decided to make it 3.5 and round it down. Nice but that's about it.
September 28, 2020
Review to come on my blog at release: Nonstop Reader.
The Age of Dinosaurs is a well written scientifically correct and exciting book about the time of the dinosaurs by paleontologist Dr. Steve Brusatte. Due out 2nd March 2021 from Harper Collins on their Quill Tree Books imprint, it's 272 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
Although this is published on a children's imprint, I found the book engaging and can recommend it for all ages. The author has an accessible style of writing. He makes what is essentially crawling around in the mud in often inhospitable remote areas getting eaten by mosquitoes sound both exciting and worthwhile (which it clearly is). His descriptive powers allowed me to picture the scenery very well. The language is simple but he doesn't avoid technical language and uses the proper nomenclature for animals and geological features. New terms are defined in context in the text. The author has also included a number of appendices: bibliography and links for further reading, a glossary, pronunciation guide, and a cross referenced index.
The book itself is arranged roughly chronologically starting with the earth's history up through the rise of the dinosaurs, continuing through the mesozoic period, with chapters considering the indigenous species of North America, Asia, the South, and Europe, on to flight, and extinction.
It's full of interesting illustrations and lots of dig photos. This would make a superlative classroom or library book, as well as being a wonderful pick for any paleontology fans in your circle of friends or family.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Age of Dinosaurs is a well written scientifically correct and exciting book about the time of the dinosaurs by paleontologist Dr. Steve Brusatte. Due out 2nd March 2021 from Harper Collins on their Quill Tree Books imprint, it's 272 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
Although this is published on a children's imprint, I found the book engaging and can recommend it for all ages. The author has an accessible style of writing. He makes what is essentially crawling around in the mud in often inhospitable remote areas getting eaten by mosquitoes sound both exciting and worthwhile (which it clearly is). His descriptive powers allowed me to picture the scenery very well. The language is simple but he doesn't avoid technical language and uses the proper nomenclature for animals and geological features. New terms are defined in context in the text. The author has also included a number of appendices: bibliography and links for further reading, a glossary, pronunciation guide, and a cross referenced index.
The book itself is arranged roughly chronologically starting with the earth's history up through the rise of the dinosaurs, continuing through the mesozoic period, with chapters considering the indigenous species of North America, Asia, the South, and Europe, on to flight, and extinction.
It's full of interesting illustrations and lots of dig photos. This would make a superlative classroom or library book, as well as being a wonderful pick for any paleontology fans in your circle of friends or family.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 20, 2023
Well, this was a delight.
Though a book for middle-schoolers, surprisingly it packs a punch with its 200 pages. It's filled to the brim with facts and history, and written by an author who clearly loves his field of study. Learned loads, and enjoyed it immensly.
Though a book for middle-schoolers, surprisingly it packs a punch with its 200 pages. It's filled to the brim with facts and history, and written by an author who clearly loves his field of study. Learned loads, and enjoyed it immensly.
January 29, 2023
I absolutely LOVE dinosaurs. This book is short but full of information, and honestly is a great entry point for younger readers into the world of dinosaurs. I’d even recommend to adults who have an interest in dinos. This made my brain happy and I needed this read 🦕🦖💛
September 12, 2024
Better in some ways, but not others ( www.amazon.com/review/R1OH8T8KHLCFEF/... ): 4/5
As you may remember, Brusatte's "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" is good, but has some problems that keep it from being great ( www.goodreads.com/review/show/3522479251 ). When I 1st heard about "The Age of Dinosaurs" (henceforth Age) being a junior edition of Rise, I was hopeful that Rise's problems wouldn't be Age's problems.* Age IS better in some ways, but not in others. In this review, I list those ways.
The following things make Age better in some ways:
-Age is MUCH easier & more visually appealing to read: For 1, it's broken up into more & shorter chapters; For another, there are more illustrations to support & break up the text; For yet another, Brusatte's long field stories are contained in breakout boxes (as opposed to the main text). I especially like the inclusion of said boxes. Said stories are very interesting & relevant, but not necessary to understanding the main text. In fact, they remind me of "Epic Rap Battles of History" when George R.R. Martin says to J.R.R. Tolkien, "You went too deep, Professor Tweed-pants! We don't need the backstory on every f***ing tree branch!"
-Brusatte seems to have learned from many of his text & writing mistakes in Rise. This is especially apparent in the facts that 1) more of Age's animal size comparisons work than do Rise's (3/4 vs. 2/3, respectively), & 2) there are only 2 equine size comparisons in Age, neither of which work (which is unfortunate, but also proves my point).
The following things keep Age from being better in other ways:
-Remember what I said about breakout boxes earlier? Unfortunately, Brusatte uses them not just for his long field stories, but also for some of the contextually-important parts of Rise (E.g. Rise's discussion of Allosaurus as "the Butcher of the Jurassic"). Furthermore, others are left out of Age entirely (E.g. There's no equivalent to Rise's discussion of the other Morrison Formation theropods in Age). Point is, Age might be a bit too easy to read, more like a Cliff Notes version of Rise than a junior edition.
-Remember "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" when Hammond is like, "Don't worry, I'm not making the same mistakes again", & Malcolm is like, "No, you're making all new ones"? Unfortunately, Brusatte does a little bit of both in Age: In reference to "making the same mistakes again", this is especially apparent when he repeats Austroposeidon's size overestimates (Quoting Molina-Pérez/Larramendi: "It is mistakenly believed to be the largest sauropod in Brazil");** In reference to "making all new ones", this is especially apparent when he incorrectly pluralizes "T. rex" as "T. rexes".
In short, I recommend reading Age in conjunction with Howard's "Dinosaur Empire!" &/or Naish/Barrett's "Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved", depending on your preferences. 1 more thing of note: This is more of a nit-pick, but Age's full title is very WTF. In fact, it reminds me of a Rifftrax joke about "Dragon Wars: D-War" ("I dunno boys[...]They're both amazing titles. I can't pick. Hey, let's use both! Go get some boba tea drinks!").
*This was mostly because Brusatte had acknowledged the wrongness of his claim that T. rex "had mammal-like levels of intelligence" ( https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wil... ).
**See "Dinosaur Facts and Figures: The Sauropods and Other Sauropodomorphs". It's 1 of the books I use for fact-checking.
As you may remember, Brusatte's "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" is good, but has some problems that keep it from being great ( www.goodreads.com/review/show/3522479251 ). When I 1st heard about "The Age of Dinosaurs" (henceforth Age) being a junior edition of Rise, I was hopeful that Rise's problems wouldn't be Age's problems.* Age IS better in some ways, but not in others. In this review, I list those ways.
The following things make Age better in some ways:
-Age is MUCH easier & more visually appealing to read: For 1, it's broken up into more & shorter chapters; For another, there are more illustrations to support & break up the text; For yet another, Brusatte's long field stories are contained in breakout boxes (as opposed to the main text). I especially like the inclusion of said boxes. Said stories are very interesting & relevant, but not necessary to understanding the main text. In fact, they remind me of "Epic Rap Battles of History" when George R.R. Martin says to J.R.R. Tolkien, "You went too deep, Professor Tweed-pants! We don't need the backstory on every f***ing tree branch!"
-Brusatte seems to have learned from many of his text & writing mistakes in Rise. This is especially apparent in the facts that 1) more of Age's animal size comparisons work than do Rise's (3/4 vs. 2/3, respectively), & 2) there are only 2 equine size comparisons in Age, neither of which work (which is unfortunate, but also proves my point).
The following things keep Age from being better in other ways:
-Remember what I said about breakout boxes earlier? Unfortunately, Brusatte uses them not just for his long field stories, but also for some of the contextually-important parts of Rise (E.g. Rise's discussion of Allosaurus as "the Butcher of the Jurassic"). Furthermore, others are left out of Age entirely (E.g. There's no equivalent to Rise's discussion of the other Morrison Formation theropods in Age). Point is, Age might be a bit too easy to read, more like a Cliff Notes version of Rise than a junior edition.
-Remember "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" when Hammond is like, "Don't worry, I'm not making the same mistakes again", & Malcolm is like, "No, you're making all new ones"? Unfortunately, Brusatte does a little bit of both in Age: In reference to "making the same mistakes again", this is especially apparent when he repeats Austroposeidon's size overestimates (Quoting Molina-Pérez/Larramendi: "It is mistakenly believed to be the largest sauropod in Brazil");** In reference to "making all new ones", this is especially apparent when he incorrectly pluralizes "T. rex" as "T. rexes".
In short, I recommend reading Age in conjunction with Howard's "Dinosaur Empire!" &/or Naish/Barrett's "Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved", depending on your preferences. 1 more thing of note: This is more of a nit-pick, but Age's full title is very WTF. In fact, it reminds me of a Rifftrax joke about "Dragon Wars: D-War" ("I dunno boys[...]They're both amazing titles. I can't pick. Hey, let's use both! Go get some boba tea drinks!").
*This was mostly because Brusatte had acknowledged the wrongness of his claim that T. rex "had mammal-like levels of intelligence" ( https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wil... ).
**See "Dinosaur Facts and Figures: The Sauropods and Other Sauropodomorphs". It's 1 of the books I use for fact-checking.
April 18, 2021
I don't read a lot of non fiction. I find a lot of them are very dry, written for people who already understand the topic and are looking to broaden their knowledge. That's fine! People need to increase their knowledge. But they are tough to get into.
Not this one. Steve writes in an engaging, friendly style, almost as though we're just chatting away. It is quite text heavy, but it's broken up with maps, anecdotes from different figures in the field of paleontology, pictures from digs and images of dinosaur bones. There's a lot of really interesting information here - I didn't know there were other Tyrannosaurs apart from Rex! I didn't know that different types of sauropods lived together! I didn't know that geologists and paleontologists worked so closely together! (although it makes perfect sense.)
This is going to be a great book to give a slightly older child who loves dinosaurs, history, or science. It shows the painstaking work that goes into any kind of science, and how your passion can become your life's work if you stick at it. And, of course, it's chock full of fantastic facts. (Portugal used to have salamanders that were as big as a family car!)
A great read.
Not this one. Steve writes in an engaging, friendly style, almost as though we're just chatting away. It is quite text heavy, but it's broken up with maps, anecdotes from different figures in the field of paleontology, pictures from digs and images of dinosaur bones. There's a lot of really interesting information here - I didn't know there were other Tyrannosaurs apart from Rex! I didn't know that different types of sauropods lived together! I didn't know that geologists and paleontologists worked so closely together! (although it makes perfect sense.)
This is going to be a great book to give a slightly older child who loves dinosaurs, history, or science. It shows the painstaking work that goes into any kind of science, and how your passion can become your life's work if you stick at it. And, of course, it's chock full of fantastic facts. (Portugal used to have salamanders that were as big as a family car!)
A great read.
December 15, 2023
I read Brusatte’s The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs several years ago and really enjoyed it. I understand this book is supposed to be an easier to digest version geared toward a younger audience. However, Steve Brusatte is a renowned paleontologist, which is why I found it bothersome that he used the term Brontosaurus several times throughout the book. It’s a well known fact that brontosaurus is not a real species of dinosaur. A paleontologist of his regard should know better than that. Overall though, I do believe this was an enjoyable read and it was filled with great information for any dino lover (or someone just looking to learn more about dinosaurs).
June 20, 2022
I haven't been much of a dinosaurs' fan, but this book did give me new perspectives on why studying dinosaurs matters. It has info I won't remember, but the tone is generally positive and exciting. Of course, it brings out many theories regarding the historical events, evolution, etc. For me, I think the most important lesson is that we have so much to learn about the history of this planet, and the immensity of dinosaurs just make me feel more humble living on the same planet.
September 26, 2024
This was hard to put down, and a book i wish wouldn’t end. I learned so many interesting things about dinosaurs and their habitat. i had no idea they’d been on earth for hundreds of millions of years, or that a new species is discovered by paleontologists about every week. I also never realized how uninhabitable earth was back then, and have learned to appreciate how lucky we are to have four seasons.
I haven’t been this excited about dinosaurs since I was a kid. definitely recommend!
I haven’t been this excited about dinosaurs since I was a kid. definitely recommend!
February 7, 2021
This dinosaur book is for upper elementary readers and tweens as there is a lot of text and not a lot of pictures. However, for those dino enthusiasts, it will really be enjoyable as Brusatte really digs (ha!) into the history and the paleontology of dinosaurs. I'm definitely purchasing this one for my library!
December 25, 2023
Okuması çok keyifli bir kitaptı. Yazarın Dinozorların Yükselişi ve Çöküşü kitabını da yakın zamanda okumak istiyorum.
November 27, 2021
Walk like a T Rex babyyyyy
December 17, 2024
Really really breezy read on a complicated topic. More photos and maps to help visualize the topics would've been nice.
December 17, 2025
So awesome that I didn’t realize it was for middle schoolers until I was 75% done
September 20, 2025
Pleased I read the kids’ version of this book as someone who is not very science-literate! Learnt a lot but loses a star for all the little side-bars about his friends, which got quite tedious.
November 14, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5-Star Review of The Age of Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte
The Age of Dinosaurs is a fantastic and engaging look into the world of the planet’s most remarkable ancient creatures. Steve Brusatte blends scientific detail with an accessible, enthusiastic tone that makes the book just as enjoyable for adults as it is for the young readers it’s aimed at. The fascinating facts—like new dinosaur species being discovered nearly every week or the truth about feathered dinosaurs—keep the pages turning and spark genuine awe.
Brusatte’s expertise shines through, but never in a way that feels overwhelming. Instead, he invites readers into the ever-evolving world of paleontology, showing how new discoveries continue to reshape our understanding of these incredible animals. The photos, glossary, and helpful guides make it an excellent resource for learning and exploration.
Detailed, entertaining, and surprisingly fun, this book is a standout choice for curious minds of any age.
The Age of Dinosaurs is a fantastic and engaging look into the world of the planet’s most remarkable ancient creatures. Steve Brusatte blends scientific detail with an accessible, enthusiastic tone that makes the book just as enjoyable for adults as it is for the young readers it’s aimed at. The fascinating facts—like new dinosaur species being discovered nearly every week or the truth about feathered dinosaurs—keep the pages turning and spark genuine awe.
Brusatte’s expertise shines through, but never in a way that feels overwhelming. Instead, he invites readers into the ever-evolving world of paleontology, showing how new discoveries continue to reshape our understanding of these incredible animals. The photos, glossary, and helpful guides make it an excellent resource for learning and exploration.
Detailed, entertaining, and surprisingly fun, this book is a standout choice for curious minds of any age.
April 2, 2021
Read this because my Don grabbed it from big kid shelves at library. I’ve seen Brusatte in a few shows and read his 2018 book. I might be developing a man crush. I so hope my son gets into this when he can read.
July 19, 2022
I have to admit that I wasn’t entirely sure going into this book. I figured a story of hundreds of millions of years of evolutional biology would be either fascinating or soul-sucking. Luckily, the former was mostly correct. The first section had some boring points, but I loved the introduction of modern day research, showing the techniques used by palaeontologists and the variety of theories about Dino’s.
The writing is crisp and the author clearly knows what he’s talking about. The story is endlessly impressive and awe-inspiring, and I learned plenty while being entertained. If you like dinosaurs, biology, and non-fiction, this is the book
For you. If not, look elsewhere
The writing is crisp and the author clearly knows what he’s talking about. The story is endlessly impressive and awe-inspiring, and I learned plenty while being entertained. If you like dinosaurs, biology, and non-fiction, this is the book
For you. If not, look elsewhere
March 30, 2023
I had read Mr. Brusatte’s book on the rise and fall of dinosaurs. Then I ran across this book at a dinosaur museum while on vacation. Ordered it from Amazon and started reading it the day it arrived. Never mind that I was already reading two other books at the same time. It is geared towards a younger audience but enjoyable nonetheless. Very easy to read and explains all the latest theories and discoveries in the field of paleontology.
July 6, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book. My toddler boy is really into dinosaurs right now and I was looking for a bit more information than what is contained in the children’s books. This fit the bill perfectly. Not only did it fill in the gaps for me but I was able to read some to my son as well. Highly recommended!
July 6, 2024
An absolutely fascinating read! Recommended for tweens, but very interesting for adults too, who want the bigger picture but also a lot of details into the dinosaur world.
I liked the insight into the fossil hunts, the exposes on all great scientists working together to uncover them, the fact that the focus is not only on North America and that the joyful tone of it.
I liked the insight into the fossil hunts, the exposes on all great scientists working together to uncover them, the fact that the focus is not only on North America and that the joyful tone of it.
September 25, 2021
I listened to an audio version of this book, but I don't see that option available to choose.
This was very interesting, but as a fellow dinosaur lover it didn't have much new information for me. Still, I enjoyed listening to it.
This was very interesting, but as a fellow dinosaur lover it didn't have much new information for me. Still, I enjoyed listening to it.
November 2, 2021
Dinosaur lovers will enjoy this young readers’ version of Brusatte’s The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs. Paleontologist Brusatte covers the history of dinosaurs and describes which dinosaurs lived in each part of the world. Perfect for middle grade readers.
August 17, 2022
If you want to learn more about the incredible history of dinosaurs in a simple yet engaging way, this is the book for you! Even though it's meant for middle grade kids I really enjoyed it! Will check out more of Brusatte's work! 🦖
August 18, 2023
This is written for older children / young teens. But I thought it would be fun to read certain points to my very curious 6 year old. It was fun to learn more about the creatures that once roamed our earth! And what was even before then, as my daughter says “jellyfish!”
September 10, 2024
Sin duda un libro muy recomendable no solo porque explica el trabajo de un paleontólogo sino porque da información sobre los dinosaurios desde cuando aparecen y no son el grupo dominante hasta el final. Todo ello de manera amena y siendo muy fácil de leer
September 12, 2024
Obviously less detailed since it is written for a younger audience, but this was great. It felt like a nice little refresher/outline to everything in The Rise and Fall. Also a perfect reminder of some awesome dinosaur tidbits!
Read
November 23, 2024This reads part memoir & part dinosaur history. The author is very clearly knowledgeable and passionate about dinosaurs. I learned a lot. It was pretty easy to read having minimal background knowledge.
July 22, 2025
This was very similar to the last book I read from Dr Brusatte, but a faster, more condensed version. He did add a little more details, I believe, about a few other dinosaurs than he did from the other book, which I enjoyed. Overall, a very interesting and well written book.
June 21, 2021
Good summary
An excellent read for newcomers to paleontology. It is an easy to understand description of the "big picture," as well as sidebars on why and how things happened.
An excellent read for newcomers to paleontology. It is an easy to understand description of the "big picture," as well as sidebars on why and how things happened.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews