Digging Up Dinosaurs

Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2

by Aliki

How did those enormous dinosaur skeletons get inside the museum?

Long ago, dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Then, suddenly, they died out. For thousands of years, no one knew these giant creatures had ever existed. Then people began finding fossils—bones and teeth and footprints that had turned to stone. Today, teams of experts work together to dig dinosaur fossils out of the ground, bone by fragile bone. Then they put the skeletons together again inside museums, to look just like the dinosaurs of millions of years ago.

Genres: Dinosaurs, Science, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, History, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Aliki 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.

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

In just seven short years, Aliki had to redo the illustrations for this book. Seems like the changes were mostly to placate the women's lib types - now the cover features a woman (there's also a comment that in addition to draftsmen there are also "draftswomen").

A significant portion (eight pages) of the book depicts visitors at a museum. Instead of focusing on the dinosaurs, Aliki has added dozens and dozens of little characters doing childish things (humor, I suppose).

Nearly every page features speech bubbles emanating from these characters. This text is ancillary to the printed narrative, but unfortunately, a great many of these comments are pointless chatter (part of p.5 includes a family where the father is scolding his son for scaring a younger sister). Not all are so inane, however. On the same spread, we are told that apatosaurus weighed 70,000 lbs. and the it was once known as brontosaurus. So to avoid missing actual information, readers are forced to examine every little speech comment: there are eight on pp.4-5, and six of them could have been eliminated.

Curiously, another change in the illustrations appears on p.11. The text in both the original and revised editions states, "some may even have eaten the eggs of other dinosaurs," but while the original shows Ornithomimus actually holding an egg, the revision does not.

Compared to the original, we now get more information on the team of experts - paleontologist, geologist, draftsman, workers, photographer, specialists. Largely this seems to be an excuse to squeeze in more of the all-important diversity.

Unfortunately, there are no guides to pronunciation.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

surprisingly good balance between male and female paleontologists for a picture book from the 80s.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting and engaging book for young readers. The book includes clear illustrations, engaging story and lots of information accessible for a younger age group. This book provides a great introduction to the study of dinosaurs and the way that scientists uncover the past. The book starts by introducing palaeontology and the tools that scientists use in their own research. With clear explanations the author is able to highlight the importance of the scientific methods used and how they help us to understand more about dinosaurs. The book is written in a very age appropriate manner which makes difficult scientific concepts much more accessible for a younger audience. The book also explores the historical context around dinosaurs and includes events such as the first dinosaur fossils and the ongoing changes in technology that help us to further understand more about dinosaurs. Overall, this book is very engaging and is a valuable resource.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me Aliki is one of the most underappreciated children's authors. I love how straightforward and simply information is presented in her books. And I love the ways he suffuses charm and humor into all of her books. In Digging Up Dinosaurs, for example, each page has a variety of small mini people walking around and adding some silly little dialogue explaining or reacting to dinosaurs. I laughed out loud at a kid looking at a Scolosaurus and saying "This is a little fella"

Remarkable how relevant this book is over 40 years past its original publication. I appreciated the gender diversity of the scientists in this book, too; also pretty admirable for a text first published in 1981.

Thanks again, Mr. Burton

This review is part of an ongoing project where I read and review every book that appeared on Reading Rainbow

This book was featured on Reading Rainbow in the “You Don’t Have to Take My Word for It” segment of episode 6, which first aired on July 18th, 1983. This review is part of an ongoing project where I read and review every book that appeared on Reading Rainbow/

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digging Up Dinosaurs (Let’s read and find out State #2) Written and Illustrated by Aliki –Hindi language translation by Vidushak- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- This book narrates the story Dinosaurs for children. First, Dinosaurs were identified from Fossils. The study of their features started. With the help of diagrams, pictures, the processes of display of dinosaurs in museums is described. Dialogue bubbles to help give more facts about dinosaurs. The pictures really enhance the story and give a visual aid to the types of dinosaurs they are talking about. In the Dialogue Bubbles, it is narrating how the children who are visiting a museum are reacting to the models. Coloured illustrations help the reader to relate to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.

[Trent Escue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digging Up Dinosaurs is a informational book that explains how scientists find dinosaur bones and learn about dinosaurs. The book shows the steps in digging, cleaning, and studying fossils in a way that is easy for kids to understand. The illustrations are clear, colorful, and show the process in simple pictures. I chose this book because many students love dinosaurs, and the pictures make it easy to follow how fossils are discovered and studied.

I would use this book with 2nd or 3rd graders. Students would create a simple “Fossil Steps” page where they write a few short sentences about how fossils are found digging, cleaning, and studying. Then they would draw a picture to match each step. This activity helps students understand the fossil process in a simple way and gives them a chance to show their learning through writing and drawing.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I personally thought this book was fine. For me, it was interesting but had basic information about dinosaurs for little kids. I think I didn't find this book all so enjoyable because I am an adult who knows about dinosaurs and I am not very interested in dinosaurs myself, but a young kid who liked dinosaurs would absolutely love this book. Now, I am unfamiliar with the names of different dinosaurs so I was interested in that because it does go through quite a few. It had the characters talking about them, how people find their bones, but mainly the pictures showed the bones in a museum with kids looking at them and narrating what they felt about the bones. Overall, I would have this book in my classroom for someone interested in dinosaurs.

[Mason Hazelwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book full of information about dinosaurs, how they are studied, and identifying fossils and features. Aliki just goes through the processes and how they are displayed in museums and utilized dialogue bubbles to help give more facts about dinosaurs. The pictures really enhance the story and give a visual aid to the types of dinosaurs they are talking about. It also feels as if you are looking at a museum on some pages as the kids in story are visiting as well. While I think there might be more useful and factual books out there, this a good short read for younger elementary students. To use this I would have students do an activity about fossils and have them read this and focus in on the fossil section.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Educational and doesn't really dumb it down. Goes over how we didn't even know dinosaurs existed until about 200 years ago. The types of jobs that are requires to excavate, preserve, and teach about dinosaurs. I liked that there was a subtle preference for Ankylosaurus rather than the normal favorites. Kinds into dinosaurs will enjoy this.

[Amara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needs updates on a few areas, but still a good choice for children because they can learn updates later as with most science books. Almost all books on science has some errors because we're learning so much so fast.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning about dinosaurs is always fun, and in this book the reader learns fascinating information about them - from finding bones, to building dinosaurs for museums. Well presented and illustrated as an interesting and educational book.

[Haley Hoenke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Science, Dinosaurs

[Danna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still a classic dinosaur book that is informative and fun to read! The small cartoons at the bottom of the pages are humorous and the text is easy for a third grader to understand.

[Jude · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative, but way too many words to keep a dinosaur crazy 5-year-old's attention.

[Alexandria Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good for when students are learning about the history of dinosaurs and how we know about them today through fossils. Great for teaching students.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dinosaur storytime - explores paleontology career - how fossils are made, how dino bones are preserved and put together on display etc.

[Kiyoko · Rating 3 out of 5]

informative about dinosaurs but I do not like all the silly chatter the museum visitors are having. Some give interesting details but others are just random and silly.

[Nolan Brendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it because they dug up dinosaurs and I like fossils.

[TCNS]

Filed under "Dinosaurs."

[☼Bookish in Virginia☼ · Rating 4 out of 5]

DIGGING UP DINOSAURS is a short book about dinosaurs that is at the mid-elementary reading level. It's a book with fun but not spectacular artwork. There is humor in the images.

The book talks about how people discovered the existence of dinosaurs. How people found 'strange bones' that they couldn't classify, and how this lead to discovery the ancient world of dinosaurs.

Continental drift and rock stratification is touched up. And Aliki talks about how dinos first appeared in the late Triassic period and how they grew larger and the centuries passed. Triassic Cretaceous, and Jurassic periods are introduced.

WHAT I LIKED about the book is the presentation that seems to allow children to learn as much as they are ready for, or interested in. They can just skim and pick up on general ideas, or they can look and study the charts and learn more details, like which era comes first.

Finally, I love that the book ends with the mysterious WHY of dinosaur extinction. I would hope that this would leave young dino enthusiasts with the idea that there is scientific work left to be done in the field, and that they could be a scientist-discoverer when they grow up.

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When I was in elementary school -- Cretaceous era-- I very much enjoyed Roy Chapman Andrews books. They are probably out of print but this means that they might be available for free as ebooks. I remember them as being totally engrossing and filled with adventure.

[Audrey's Picture Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was excellent for its time, but, in general, it should not be read anymore. Paleontology has changed a lot since this book came out, and our knowledge of dinosaurs is very different from what it was then. We owe it to children not to weigh them down with "knowledge" that became outdated before they were born. I am giving the book three stars, because it cannot help being old. What it does, it does well. I have yet to find a current book that has such a clear and accessible explanation of the archaeological process. However, it is no longer admissible as a factual book about dinosaurs.

I do think this book would be a good way to talk to older children about the way scientific knowledge changes over time. It would be interesting to read it at the end of a dinosaur unit, and challenge children to identify some of the areas where the science has changed. However, that would require a fairly in-depth knowledge of recent developments in paleontology. If, like me, you don't have your finger on the pulse of modern paleontology, choose a different book.

[Ch_ebonysmith]

This book is about the process of digging up dinosaurs and putting their fossils on display at the museum. The book set in a museum an the it goes from there. It is a very interesting books for children who are interested in dinosaurs as well as if teacher is doing a unit on dinosaurs. The book details the entire process from digging up the bones to putting the finish product on display at the museum. It also tells the names of the professionals that are involved in the entire process. The illustrations are simple. This book is recommended for children in preschool to third grade, but anyone who wants information about dinosaurs in the musesum can read this book.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I vividly remember seeing this book on Reading Rainbow when I was a child and then going to the library to check it out. I'm not sure when it was purchased for my collection as a child but I am proud to say I still own my original copy.
As a child I was always fascinated with dinosaurs and was very happy to visit our local natural science museum on numerous occasions, so perhaps that is the main reason why this book appealed so much to me.
If a child had any interest in dinosaurs (which it seems a majority of kids do at a certain age - at least for a short while), then I would highly recommend this book to them or their parents.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a cute book to read in class to introduce about fossils. It doesn't go in dept about fossils but it has connections that students can make by talking about if they have ever seen dinosaur bones in museum or on the television and how we were able to see it! So it explains what archaeologist do. From digging up parts of bones to finding footprints there's a lot that students can learn about, so I would like to read this book to introduce about fossils in class and maybe make out own fossils in class with clay and make handprints.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great nonfiction read-aloud for K-2, as long as kids can see the illustrations well. I read this book to 1st graders who have just started a dinosaur unit. Since the pages are small and there are lots of details and speech bubbles, I used the document camera to maximize the pictures onto the SmartBoard. That worked really well. We did a sequence activity for 7 of the steps that scientists carry out in order to get dinosaur fossils out of the earth and into the museum.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Teaches the archeology behind dinosaur bones. Using cartoon drawings, it shows the skeletons, describes the history of digging up dinosaurs, describes the jobs of people involved, and shows what happens in a museum to the bones. This book would entertain a die-hard dinosaur enthusiast, but it is not all that interesting to other children without serious paraphrasing.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dinosaur nuts will be attracted to anything having to do with the subject. I, however, was less than impressed with the lackluster story line. It seems this book was written solely as an educational tool with little thought to establishing entertainment value.

[Robin Hobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've found all of Aliki's books engage kids on several levels. The illustrations, then the 'story' and finally all the extra things and tiny stories going on in the background of the illustrations.

[jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sure stands up for a book from 1981. True, so if the science may be way off now, but where the focus is one finding and retrieving the bones, I'm sure much of it holds true. Super representation of women in science jobs and different families. The people are very monichromatic, though.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty dry. surprised this is a reading rainbow book--usually they are pretty good.