Dinosaur Mummies: Beyond Bare-Bone Fossils
Grade 5-8-Recent discoveries of mummified, fossilized soft tissue have given scientists important new information about dinosaurs. The author begins by explaining the process of fossilization, noting the wide difference between the mineralized mummies that paleontologists study and intentionally preserved specimens like Egyptian mummies. Then she gives the background, details, and implications of six key discoveries, starting with the Sternberg Edmontosaurus in the early 1900s. The other examples all date from the past 10 years, culminating with the 2000 discovery of Leonardo, the most complete mummified dinosaur found so far. A bit of information about each scientist is provided, along with comments from most of them about their work, so readers get a feel for the dedication and enthusiasm of these groundbreaking paleontologists. These discoveries are not only rare; they also have significant impact on our understanding of dinosaurs. The fossilized Sinosauropteryx, for example, helped confirm the existence of feathered dinosaurs, while a 66-million-year-old preserved heart supports theories of warm-blooded dinosaurs. Each discovery is introduced in a clear and lively style, so youngsters can follow the text without becoming overwhelmed by names, dates, or scientific terms. The layout is inviting, with good use of white space and many full-color photographs and drawings showing dinosaurs, fossils, and the scientists themselves. A brief "paleo-notebook" offers details on 10 other key dinosaur mummies. The current data and intriguing focus should make this a popular and valuable addition to dinosaur shelves.Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, ORCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.