Book recommendations

[DinoToyForum]

I have a recommendation for younger readers, but of course I do, I wrote it! The Plesiosaur's Neck

Here's some praise for the book that I've collated.

"A dream read for fact-guzzling young dinosaur fans. The winner by a neck!"
Pam Norfolk, LANCASTER GUARDIAN

"...add The Plesiosaur's Neck to the list of books that will fascinate young palaeontologists and congratulate its creators too for finding a fresh approach. ...It works really well and will catch youngsters' imaginations while giving them a really good idea of how plesiosaurs lived, and insight into how scientists form their theories. A really lively and effective book"
Lucy Staines, BOOKS FOR KEEPS (BOOK OF THE WEEK)

"...entertainingly presented and vividly illustrated, marrying the key facts with rhyming asides to keep children fully engaged."
James Cann, THE INDEPENDENT (CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK)

""The Plesiosaur's Neck" combines colourful characters with a cornucopia of fun facts. It is an entertaining exploration of a genuine palaeontological puzzle."
Mike Walley, EVERYTHING DINOSAUR

"I certainly wasn't expecting a rhyming text when I received this book but wow! It really works and is a terrific read aloud. Adam Larkum's illustrations are full of fun, adding to the entertainment of what is a smashing exploration."
Jill Bennett, RED READING HUB

"The bouncy short text is perfect if reading to young readers as it will hold their attention. You can then intersperse the fun chat between Alfie and Bella – my daughter loved this."
Rachael Davis, PICTURE BOOK PERFECT

"A lovely book for all children, especially those who are captivated by dinosaurs and other extinct animals!"
Lucy Newton, READINGZONE

"Poppy's 7-metre long neck is just one of the many fascinating facts we discover in this brilliantly P L A Y F U L non-fiction book"..."Readers will love exploring the different theories and finding out the facts"..."Fun, lively and fascinating, this is a fab picture book..."
Caz Cook, TEENYREADERS on Instagram

"A perfect picture book for little dinosaur enthusiasts! The illustrations are packed with comic detail and vibrant colours. We love the 'Spotters guide to the Cretaceous period' at the back, which offers some fun search-and-find challenges..."
LittleLibraryOwl on Instagram

"This colourful picture book will capture the minds of young children and inspire imagination."
Hannah Stobie, BIG ISSUE NORTH (NO.1383 · 31 MAY – 6 JUNE 2021)

"Told in playful, rhyming text backed with scientific hypothesis and fact filled boxes, this book strikes the balance between picture book and non fiction book....The illustrations are wonderful, colourful and full of scientific details that ensure the reader comes away with an understanding and knowledge about the plesiosaur."
Erin Hamilton, MY SHELVES ARE FULL

"What a great pick this is for home and for educational settings encouraging enquiry, researching and accepting that sometimes there may not be a definitive answer. Seek this book out, it's super."
MAMMA FILZ

[Newt]

I'm glad the book is garnering so many well-deserved accolades!

[Libraraptor]

I´d like to join the well deserved praise:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/customer-reviews/R6FGDAUW5H583/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=191297942X

[DinoToyForum]

I´d like to join the well deserved praise:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/customer-reviews/R6FGDAUW5H583/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=191297942X

Thank you so much for the kind review and endorsement, it means a lot.

[JohannesB]

@dinotoyforum Congratulations with your book! Reason to be proud

I have a question though, about another book, namely Fastovsky and Weishampel's 'Dinosaurs : A Concise Natural History'. I was wondering how deep it goes into taxonomy. Since it is designated a 'natural history' (and a 'concise' one), I assume it foremost is about putting the dinosaurs in their time and place, giving the whole context of their history, biology and ecology etc. That in itself sounds like a book I would want to start exploring.

[HD-man]

@Archosaur

I have a question though, about another book, namely Fastovsky and Weishampel's 'Dinosaurs : A Concise Natural History'. I was wondering how deep it goes into taxonomy. Since it is designated a 'natural history' (and a 'concise' one), I assume it foremost is about putting the dinosaurs in their time and place, giving the whole context of their history, biology and ecology etc. That in itself sounds like a book I would want to start exploring.

It's 1 of the best NHDs for adults ( http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=7132.0 ). I recommend reading the newest edition if you can ( https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaurs-Concise-Natural-David-Fastovsky/dp/1108469299 ), but keep in mind that it's a college textbook. Just making sure you're not overwhelmed by how in-depth & expensive it is. I know what that feels like.

BTW, I'm surprised the following field guides haven't already been mentioned. I'm especially looking forward to the dino 1. I wonder how it'll differ from PNSO's other dino books, especially in terms of formatting. Ideally, field guides combine the best aspects of natural histories (which are for getting the whole story of dinos) w/the best aspects of encyclopedias (which are for looking up specific dinos):

-Age of Ancient Sea Monsters (Pnso Field Guide to the Ancient World) ( https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Monsters-Field-Guide-World/dp/1612545300 )

-Age of Pterosaurs (Pnso Field Guide to the Ancient World) ( https://www.amazon.com/Pterosaurs-Field-Guide-Ancient-World/dp/1612545297 )

-Age of Dinosaurs (Pnso Field Guide to the Ancient World) ( https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaurs-Field-Guide-Ancient-World/dp/1612545289 )

[Justin_]

How many John Sibbick illustrations are in the Fastovsky and Weishampel book, and have they been updated between the early and new editions?

[Duna]

I would like to mention these two books I have just purchased (one is just published). I think they are a must for all dinosaur toy lovers as a part of history and their begginings.
You can purchase them through J @japfeif or eBay link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/144113789196 and https://www.ebay.com/itm/144047059273



Finally, the long-awaited follow-up to Jeff's Dinosaur Playsets: An Illustrated Guide to the Prehistoric Playsets of Marx and MPC is now available for purchase DIRECTLY FROM THE AUTHOR!

Dinosaurs are a fascinating subject, and vintage dinosaur figure collecting is at an all-time high. Unfortunately, what information there is out there concerning plastic dinosaur figures is primarily focused on the dinos of the Louis Marx Company. However, dozens of other companies produced their own iconic lines of plastic dinosaur toys and playsets. But there has never been a handy reference manual to the dinos from these more obscure companies.
Until now.

More Dinosaur Playsets & Figures is the first and most complete guide to the prehistoric items put out by such manufactures as Tim Mee Toys, Winneco, Ajax, Nabisco, Linde, Timpo, Invicta, and more. Even included is the well-known dinosaur output coming from the Sinclair Oil Corporation, as well as the numerous plastic figures produced overseas (primarily Hong Kong). These figures are often confused with the more well-known models released by Marx, and this new book represents the most comprehensive reference work available concerning these oftentimes enigmatic and confusing dinosaur toys.  As in its predecessor Dinosaur Playsets, this book boasts color photos (over 450 high quality pics!!!!), backstory, detailed info, content listings, and visual side-by-side comparisons to eliminate the guesswork as to if you are holding a Marx dino in your hand or....something else!

And don't forget about Jeff's flagship book Dinosaur Playsets: An Illustrated Guide to the Prehistoric Playsets of Marx and MPC, which is still available on eBay and currently in its 4th edition! Featuring over 245 color photos of each and every dinosaur-themed playset produced by Marx and MPC available at the time of printing, this book has garnered wide acclaim from collectors and is a must for any serious enthusiast of the dinosaurs of Marx and MPC!

Add both of these valuable resources to your collection now!

[japfeif]

I´d like to join the well deserved praise:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/customer-reviews/R6FGDAUW5H583/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=191297942X

Thank you so much for the kind review and endorsement, it means a lot.

Excellent!!! Congrats on your book!!!   
Jeff

[DinoToyForum]

I´d like to join the well deserved praise:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/customer-reviews/R6FGDAUW5H583/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=191297942X

Thank you so much for the kind review and endorsement, it means a lot.

Excellent!!! Congrats on your book!!!   
Jeff

Thanks. Hopefully it is the first of many more to come.

[Danny]

Thank u for this post, is really useful and interesting!
I was looking for something up-to-date and these lists are gold.

[Libraraptor]

Does anyone know this book?  Is it recommendable?  Just ordered it out of pure interest the title evoked.

[Newt]

@Libraraptor - I have not read or even heard of that book, but Ned Colbert was an accomplished paleontologist (most famous among dinophiles for his work on Coelophysis from the mass burial at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, but he worked on many taxa and eras). What I've read of his work was well-written, too. I suspect this will be a good read.

[Libraraptor]

@Libraraptor - I have not read or even heard of that book, but Ned Colbert was an accomplished paleontologist (most famous among dinophiles for his work on Coelophysis from the mass burial at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, but he worked on many taxa and eras). What I've read of his work was well-written, too. I suspect this will be a good read.

Thank you for your evaluation! I am looking forward to receiving it!

[Crackington]

I received a great Xmas present from Mrs Crackington and my girls and think that it may have slipped under the radar on the Forum, so thought best to put here, rather than in Recent Acquisitions:



This is a really good book by the great man's daughter Vanessa, in which she reminisces about her growing up with her father through many photos of his work, including sculptures and artwork. Many have been repaired through the Ray and Diane Harryhausen Foundation and were on display in Scotland just before the pandemic struck. It includes quite a few prehistoric stars like the Eohippus from "Valley of Gwangi":



There's also a lot of comments from people Ray Harryhausen inspired like John Landis, Rick Baker and Phil Tippett. It seems to be quiet reasonably priced on eBay etc (I know, I shouldn't have looked!) and I would heartily recommend it to members. What would you give for a cabinet like this?

[Halichoeres]

Has anyone bought Halliday's Otherlands who wants to share their impression of it? https://bookshop.org/books/otherlands-a-journey-through-earth-s-extinct-worlds/9780593132883

[Carnoking]

I've been looking to expand my paleo library as of late.

I've compiled a list of titles both recent and older that I've seen floating around before and wondered if anyone here on the forum could give me their thoughts and help me decide what I should prioritize. I'm sure many of these books have been discussed before in this threat but I'm particularly interested in which are still worth picking up in 2022 (or if more updated versions/alternatives of a work exist). Some are scientific, others more an exploration behind the social impact of paleontology , and some are just for the art.

Jurassic West, Second Edition: The Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation and Their World (Life of the Past) by John Foster, Dale A. Russell

Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved by Darren Naish

The Future of Dinosaurs: What We Don't Know, What We Can, and What We'll Never Know by David Hone

The Dinosaur Heresies: New Theories Unlocking the Mystery of the Dinosaurs and Their Extinction by Robert T. Bakker (I know this is an oldie but is it still worth getting for historical significance?)

American Dinosaur Abroad: A Cultural History of Carnegie's Plaster Diplodocus by Ilja Nieuwland

Why Dinosaurs Matter by Kenneth Lacovara

The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries: Amazing Fossils and the People Who Found Them by Donald R. Prothero

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Steve Brusatte (this seems a mainstay)

The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs: Second Edition (Princeton Field Guides, 110) by Gregory S. Paul

The Tyrannosaur Chronicles: The Biology of the Tyrant Dinosaurs by David Hone

Locked in Time: Animal Behavior Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils by Dean R. Lomax, Robert Nicholls

The Palaeoartist's Handbook: Recreating Prehistoric Animals in Art by Mark Witton

Dinosaur Art II (Dinosaur Art 2) by Steve White

The Paleoart of Julius Csotonyi by Julius Csotonyi

Dinosaur Facts and Figures: The Sauropods and Other Sauropodomorphs

Life through the Ages II: Twenty-First Century Visions of Prehistory (Life of the Past) by Mark P. Witton

Dinosaur Art: The World's Greatest Paleoart by Steve White

So obviously a lot of great artists and/or paleontologists' work to choose from here, and as I understand it no library concerning prehistoric life should be considered complete without some of these but I would love to hear from folks who have/have read these works where would be the best place to start! And please feel free to hit me with any suggestions!

 

[GojiraGuy1954]

Has anyone bought Halliday's Otherlands who wants to share their impression of it? https://bookshop.org/books/otherlands-a-journey-through-earth-s-extinct-worlds/9780593132883

It's like the Trilogy of Life in a book format rather than TV

[HD-man]

I've compiled a list of titles both recent and older that I've seen floating around before and wondered if anyone here on the forum could give me their thoughts and help me decide what I should prioritize. I'm sure many of these books have been discussed before in this threat but I'm particularly interested in which are still worth picking up in 2022 (or if more updated versions/alternatives of a work exist). Some are scientific, others more an exploration behind the social impact of paleontology , and some are just for the art.

Depends, are you a casual reader, an enthusiast, or a specialist ( http://whenpigsfly-returns.blogspot.com/2008/04/paleo-reading-list.html )? Also, are you looking for encyclopedic or non-encyclopedic books? Of the books you listed, I've read/reviewed the following, which are divided into 2 bunches. I recommend prioritizing the 1st bunch.

Jurassic West, Second Edition: The Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation and Their World (Life of the Past) by John Foster, Dale A. Russell
Naish recommends it in Dinopedia: A Brief Compendium of Dinosaur Lore, which I recommend getting ( https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691212029/dinopedia ). AFAIK, it's the best adult guide to dinos & their cultural impact since the 1970s. Put another way, it's the best dino reference work for adult casual readers.

Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved by Darren Naish
I recommend getting the newest edition ( https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/dinosaurs-how-they-lived-and-evolved-paperback.html ). AFAIK, it's the best adult introduction to the whole story of dinos. Put another way, it's the best Natural History of Dinos for adult casual readers ( https://www.deviantart.com/jd-man/journal/SD-Top-4-natural-histories-of-dinos-758236511 ). Here's my review of the 1st edition: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg183625#msg183625
On a related note, I also recommend the newest edition of Fastovsky/Weishampel's Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History ( https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaurs-Concise-Natural-David-Fastovsky/dp/1108469299 ). AFAIK, it's the best Natural History of Dinos for enthusiasts.

The Dinosaur Heresies: New Theories Unlocking the Mystery of the Dinosaurs and Their Extinction by Robert T. Bakker
You have to understand the old to appreciate the new & Bakker's book is a great place to start. Here's a digital copy: http://doc.rero.ch/record/232376/files/PAL_E1363.pdf

Locked in Time: Animal Behavior Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils by Dean R. Lomax, Robert Nicholls

The Palaeoartist's Handbook: Recreating Prehistoric Animals in Art by Mark Witton
Here's Naish's review: https://tetzoo.com/blog/2019/6/28/mark-wittons-the-palaeoartists-handbook

The Paleoart of Julius Csotonyi by Julius Csotonyi
Here's Witton's review: https://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2014/05/book-review-palaeoart-of-julius.html

Dinosaur Facts and Figures: The Sauropods and Other Sauropodomorphs
AFAIK, Molina-Pérez/Larramendi's Dinosaur Facts and Figures books are the best dino reference works for enthusiasts. Here's Naish's review of the 1st book: https://tetzoo.com/blog/2020/2/16/dinosaur-books-of-2019
On a related note, Naish also recommends Hallett/Wedel's The Sauropod Dinosaurs: Life in the Age of Giants in Dinopedia ( https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/10736/sauropod-dinosaurs ).

Life through the Ages II: Twenty-First Century Visions of Prehistory (Life of the Past) by Mark P. Witton

The following books are not as good/high-priority as the above books.

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Steve Brusatte
Here's my review: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg242458#msg242458

The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs: Second Edition (Princeton Field Guides, 110) by Gregory S. Paul
Here's Naish's review of the 1st edition: http://web.archive.org/web/20120223060124/http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/2012/02/21/greg-pauls-dinosaurs-a-field-guide/

The Tyrannosaur Chronicles: The Biology of the Tyrant Dinosaurs by David Hone
Here's my review: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg202696#msg202696

Dinosaur Art II (Dinosaur Art 2) by Steve White & Dinosaur Art: The World's Greatest Paleoart by Steve White
Given how expensive they are, I recommend prioritizing White/Naish's Mesozoic Art: Dinosaurs and Other Ancient Animals in Art ( https://www.amazon.com/Mesozoic-Art-Dinosaurs-Ancient-Animals-ebook/dp/B09TG5TS9R ).

[Carnoking]

H @HD-man Thank you so much for all of that! It really helps!