When Dinosaurs Conquered the Skies. The Incredible Story of Bird Evolution by Author: Jingmai O’Connor. Illustrated by: Maria Brzozowska
This book was written by Jingmai O’Connor, the Associate Curator of Fossil Reptiles at The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The book series: Incredible Evolution, takes us to real-life experts for information and then digests it into small chunks that are lavishly illustrated. We studied the amazing evolution of plants a while back, written by the botanist Dr. Chris Thorogood.
As in that installment, do not expect an oversimplified book, this one has reliable information and is a bit more complex than your regular dinosaur book (the type that says Roarr! On the cover). Up-to-date scientific facts and fascinating tidbits about the history of paleontology, the archaeopteryx, and new flying dinosaurs discovered since 1992; how feathers evolved, and how really it is a difficult endeavor to find fossilized small birds are more of its style. The oldest bird fossils are about 150 million years old, did you know that?
Birds evolved from a group of meat-eating dinosaurs called theropods. The book accurately shows the transition from small feathered dinosaurs to what we now call flying birds, even though their tiny mouths still contained serrated teeth. The evolution of birds comes not only from the sprouting of feathers but from them transitioning to beaks as well, you know, the ones that inspired Darwin to come up with the term evolution.
And of course, there is the talk about colors in those feathers: melanosomes, shape, and colors, if you have a dinosaur-loving kid in your household, you might have even seen a couple of documentaries about it.
This book is the latest in the Incredible Evolution series.
‘When Dinosaurs Conquered the Skies’ is on sale since November 1st, 2022.
Publisher: words & pictures
Format: Hardback, 64 Pages
ISBN: 9780711275133
Published: November 1st, 2022
