My First Pop-Up Book of Dinosaurs

This entry into the season's dinosaur follies has much--if not all--of the visual oomph of Jan Pienkowski's pop-ups (see review of ABC Dinosaurs , above) and a generous helping of science as well. As with Pienkowski's book, the first spread is the most dramatic. Here, a purple pterandon extends its wings over an assembly of three-dimensional land-rovers, among them a marigold-colored brachiosaurus, a metallic-green tyrannosaurus and other vibrantly hued creatures. Accompanying text gives succinct information about when dinosaurs lived, how scientists study dinosaurs and other general information (dinosaur sizes ranged from Compsongnathus , about the height of a chicken, to Diplodocus , ``longer than three school buses placed end to end''). Subsequent spreads introduce one pop-up dinosaur apiece, along with relevant and well-chosen facts, e.g., that the tyrannosaurus could chase its prey at a speed of 18 miles per hour even though it was ``as tall as a two-story building.'' A happy combination of entertainment and education. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)