Canadian Dinosaurs (Wow Canada! Collection) - Softcover

Kelsey, Elin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1897066856 ISBN 13: 9781897066850

Publisher: Owlkids, 2007

Synopsis

From the discovery of the oldest Jurassic dinosaurs in Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy to ongoing research in Saskatchewan and the badlands of Alberta to the exciting new discoveries in the north, Canada is perhaps the best place in the world to study these magnificent creatures. This captivating book brings to life the incredible array of dinosaurs that once called Canada home. Young readers see what the country was like when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, discover why they’re found in some areas and not others, and learn about the latest advances in technology that are changing long-held ideas about dinosaurs and their world. They meet the legendary dinosaur hunters of 100 years ago as well as present-day paleontologists at the forefront of science. In a fun special feature, readers compare what they’d need to pack for an expedition then and what they’d take today. Full-color photographs and stunning artist reconstructions are the perfect complements to Elin Kelsey’s up-to-date research and engaging, informative text. Sidebars throughout offer additional fascinating facts.

About this title

About the Author

ELIN KELSEY is an internationally respected leader in the field of environmental science and education, as well as the award-winning author of Not Your Typical Book About The Environment and other books for children and adults. She consults around the world on environmental projects and is a Research Fellow at the Cairns Institute, James Cook University in Australia and an adjunct professor at Royal Roads University. She lives in Pacific Grove, California.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Exciting World of Dinosaur Discovery

How many dinosaurs can you name? If you're a keen dinosaur enthusiast, you may be able to dazzle your friends with a list of twenty or more multi-syllabic mouthfuls. So far, 500 species of dinosaur have been discovered worldwide, but palaeontologists (scientists who study ancient life) are convinced that thousands and thousands of new kinds of dinosaurs will be identified in years to come. So, if you become a dinosaur scientist, there's a very good chance that you could one day discover a new dinosaur species.

Dinosaurs were not the big, slow, stupid animals we once thought they were. It's clear that they were a surprisingly diverse group. Some were as tiny as the birds you see on a city street; others were large enough to balance on a see-saw with a blue whale. They lived in jungles, in ice fields, or in bone-dry deserts; some may have hibernated or migrated. And there is growing evidence that many dinosaurs lived in large social groups, and that young dinosaurs relied on their parents' care for the first months, and maybe even years, of their lives.

Dinosaurs were as fascinating and different from one another as you are from a chipmunk or a walrus. New species of dinosaurs evolved and others disappeared many, many times during the 160 million years that we now call the age of dinosaurs. In fact, dinosaurs were on Earth at least forty times as long as humans have been here!

As you read this book, you'll see that ideas about dinosaurs are always changing and that palaeontologists often disagree about how certain dinosaurs lived. This makes sense when you consider that no one has ever seen a living dinosaur. Everything we think we know about dinosaurs is interpreted from the fossilized remains of their dead bodies or from trace fossils, fossils formed when a dinosaur was still alive, such as footprints, trackways, eggs, nests, or "poops."

Each new discovery provides a palaeontologist with a chance to question assumptions, even those upon which their own work is based. New technologies let them test new theories or look at familiar fossils in new ways. Look for the special profiles of researchers, dinosaurs, and trace-fossil finds scattered throughout this book to alert you to some "hot-off-the-press" dinosaur debates.

Edition details

• Publisher: Owlkids
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1897066856
• ISBN 13: 9781897066850
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 96