Arc Review: Everything Awesome about Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Beasts! by Mike Lowery

Image: Scholastic

Everything Awesome about Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Beasts! by Mike Lowery. 128 p. Orchard Books/ Scholastic Inc., October 15, 2019. 9781338359725. (Review of arc obtained from the publisher at ALAAC19.)

Reading this comic book treatment of prehistory awakened memories of #3 son twenty-seven years ago. Now, all four of my sons had a thing for dinosaurs, but none with the depth and intensity of #3. He became a real expert around age three, blithely and confidently pronouncing those multisyllabic names. He was not shy about correcting adults who mispronounced any! I wonder what he would've thought of this energetic, hyperbole filled book filled with "a gazillion true facts!" 

There's a prelude of sorts containing a thank you note from the author, instructions on how to use and a geologic timeline spanning four pages before the Table of Contents.

The book is divided into eight parts but part two: A Brief History of the Earth takes up the bulk of the book. Then we get to meet the dinos. This is the second largest portion. Chapters in this section explain what dinos ate, traits, giant dinos and various dino distinctions. Then there is a part devoted to explaining the extinction theories; a part about the work of paleontologists; more prehistoric beasts; instructions for drawing dinos; a field guide; resources and finally, dino jokes, though these are liberally sprinkled throughout the text. 

The cartoon art is very bold, busy and colorful. Fonts constantly change in type and size. There are lots of "text boxes" filled with bits of information and "weird facts." There are also lots of humorous asides, such as a sweltering dino sporting shade asking when air conditioning will be invented. Pronunciation keys are consistently presented as well as the occasional scale comparison, such as pizza, kid or school bus. 

Apparently, this is the beginning of a series. There's a preview at the end of volume two, which is coming in fall of 2020. It is called Everything Awesome about Sharks and Other Underwater Creatures! This series is sure to please young fact hounds, and fans of graphic novel, comics, Captain Underpants. If you have a dinosaur fan in your life, check out Everything Awesome about Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Beasts! It's due to be published in mid-October.