Raptor Pack

by Robert T. Bakker, Mike Skrepnick (Illustrator)

Paleontologist Robert T. Bakker tells the amazing story of a day in the life of a pack of Deinonychus
(a.k.a.“raptor”) dinosaurs. Readers follow the creatures as they single out, kill, and devour an injured tenontosaur; climb up into a tree; fall asleep; and are themselves stalked by a giant predator. Includes an explanation of how scientists study rocks and minerals; fossil roots, claws, teeth, and bones; and modern predators to understand raptor behavior.

Genres: Childrens, Dinosaurs, Science, Prehistory, Nonfiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Bakker was born in Bergen County, New Jersey. He attributes his interest in dinosaurs to his reading an article in the September 7, 1953 issue of Life magazine. He graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1963.
At Yale University, Bakker studied under John Ostrom, an early proponent of the new view of dinosaurs, and later gained a PhD at Harvard. He began by teaching anatomy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and Earth and Space Sciences, where future artist Gregory S. Paul worked and collaborated informally under his guidance. Most of his field work has been done in Wyoming, especially at Como Bluff, but he has ranged as far as Mongolia and South Africa in pursuit of dinosaur habitats.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book and 📖. I learned more about my favorite dinosaur 🦕!

[Herman Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love raptors! ( www.amazon.com/review/R31DUDVR9BXOSV/... ): 5/5

As you may remember, day-in-the-life dino books in general & Bakker's "Step-into-Reading" books in particular are my favorite non-Natural History of Dinos books ( www.goodreads.com/review/show/3484884728 ). As you may have noticed, dromaeosaurs are my favorite dinos ( www.goodreads.com/review/show/3478213840 ), especially eudromaeosaurs like Deinonychus. For those reasons & Skrepnick's illustrations (See the Parker quote), "Raptor Pack" is 1 of my favorite non-NHD books. The only reason I didn't officially review it before is because Science-minded's review is so perfect that I can't possibly top it ( www.amazon.com/review/R304EAF2WZLH1I/... ). Reviewing Naish's "Dinopedia: A Brief Compendium of Dinosaur Lore" made me decide to officially review RP now: For 1, it's my other favorite non-NHD book; For another, see the Naish quote, which is a near-perfect summation of what we've learned about Deinonychus since RP.

Quoting Parker ( http://linesandcolors.com/2006/03/22/... ): "Working in graphite or pen and ink for monochromatic works and in acrylic for paintings, Skrepnick portrays prehistoric animals with a clear, sharp and detailed style that reinforces their connection with the real world and recognizable environments and makes their strangeness even more palpable. His dinosaurs are bathed in sunlight, strongly modeled and connected to the ground and the world around them."

Quoting Naish (I added the brackets for more info): "Ostrom’s views on the behavior and lifestyle of this dinosaur have also undergone revision. Sickle-shaped claws aren’t, it turns out, built for slicing or slashing at giant animals, but for gripping or pinning small ones[...E.g. See Fowler et al. 2011...]Ostrom’s view that Deinonychus was a pack-hunter has been the source of considerable debate. Some experts have outright stated that group hunting wasn’t likely for these animals (it’s more of a mammalian habit than a reptilian one, so the argument goes), nor is it well supported by geological data, since the individuals Ostrom regarded as members of a social group more likely came together by accident (they were washed together by floodwater, say). But none of this appears exactly right; social behavior is reasonably well supported in these animals and can’t be easily explained away[...E.g. See Maxwell & Ostrom 1995...]Deinonychus isn’t the only dromaeosaurid where several individuals have been discovered in association[...E.g. See Li et al. 2007...]and the diversity of group-hunting strategies present in modern lizards and birds shows that cooperation and group living are far from “mammal-only” behaviors[...E.g. See Ellis et al. 1993...]It’s plausible that Deinonychus sometimes hunted alone, but it’s also likely that individuals stalked and foraged in bands, cooperated in the flushing and pursuing of prey like small ornithischians, and slept and nested in groups."

[Yael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raptor Pack, by Dr. Robert T. Bakker, gives an excellent introduction to the subject of dinosaurs to children in grades 2-4. Designed for children who want to take the plunge into chapter books but still like colorful pictures, this book introduces both the subject of paleontology and that of the dinosaurs whose fossilized bones paleontologists dig up and study. The story begins 120 million years ago in what is now Montana, and describes the lives and actions of several types of dinosaurs: giant sauropods, too big for raptors to attack, and in mnay cases covered with armor too formidable for a predator to penetrate; tenontosaurs, moose-sized herbivorous dinosaurs, the favorite prey of the raptors; a massive acrocanthasaur, a giant carnivore big enough to swallow a raotor whole; and the raptors themselves, kick-boxing animals with deadly claws on their hind feet, and mouths full of wickedly sharp teeth. Like the herbivores, the raptors are social creatures, and are better providers for their young than the herbivores are for their own children. Covered with fine feathers resembling a coat of fur, the raptors are among the most intelligent of the dinosaurs of their time -- they have to be, for they have to avoid predators bigger than they are, and bring down prey capable of fighting back and injuring or killing them. We know they were like this, because paleontologists have dug up and studied their bones, and the bones of their prey. Paleontologists have mapped the places where they lived, locating the muntains, lakes, and rivers in their environment. They have found the fossilized roots of plants that grew in that environment at that time, enabling them to figure out what the landscape looked like. And, of course, they cab observe living predators, such as lions, leopards, and hyenas, to see how they live.

Deinonychus, the raptor that is the main subject of this book, formed packs, a group of one species of animal that hunted together. And like birds, cousins to the3 dinosaurs, was likely an excellent parent, bringing its young food and protecting them from predators and other dangers. In many ways, these raptors resembled modern eagles, though of course they couldn't fly. They likely had had brightly-colored coat patterns, and being social, they probably had courting and other rituals similar to those which modern birds display.

Beautifully illustrated by Michael Skrepnick, this book would make a perfect gift for a young reader, introducing him to the wonders of the ancient world and the similarities between modern mammals and birds and ancient dinosaurs.

[Sarah Nottingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raptor Pack by Dr. Robert T. Bakker is all about dinosaurs, different kinds, fossils and how they went extinct. The book is transitional reading the reader can tell this because the sentence is more complex, the pages contain between 3 and 7 sentences, the vocabulary is larger and descriptive and dialogue is used throughout the story. The book is a nonfiction story as well thus the vocabulary is more complex, such as Deinonychus. Another big clue that it is a transitional reading book is the book is divided up into chapters.
I personally enjoyed this book and would like to incorporate it into my future classroom. I enjoyed the humorous and colorful illustrations that went along with the nonfiction story as well. The illustrations are not a crucial part of the story but add to it. The book is also engaging because the main character is a paleontologist.
As a teacher I could use the book as an independent read or a read aloud in 2nd or 3rd grade. I could use this book as a read aloud while teaching a lesson plan in social studies or geography, when discussing dinosaurs and fossils. I would also recommend this book to children that are transitional reader interested in geography or social studies.

[Margaret Chind · Rating 4 out of 5]

We checked this one put from the library. It was on recommendation of the Wayfarers Ancients Curricula. I'm always curious which way a book on prehistoric times will tell it and this was a Christian author. I love the way he presents the science.

Starting with I'm going to tell you a story and tell you why we think it's true. And ending with the influence that if you follow the science breadcrumbs you can methodically prove the past. This is a good influential one to show kids the possibility of a scientific adventure of a professional field.

I wish the would make this one available as a Kindle copy.

[Daron Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

raptor pack

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, a story about a day in the life of dinosaurs. Fantasy, right? Then all the science that makes the story plausable. Like a detective working backwards towards his conclusion, Dr. Bakker shows how scientists unravel a world of creatures we never met, but have come to know so well.