Yes, Helen, There Were Dinosaurs

At first glance this seems like yet another children's dinosaur book; but this title features a difference: it is set as a story in which an old man & his grandniece travel back in time to explore dinosaur ecology & habitats. As familiar as the time-travel theme may be, neither is this just another time-travel piece of fiction: Brown's title toes the line between fiction & non-fiction in making his dinosaurs conform with factual evidence & scientific extrapolation. It presents many controversial modern theories (such as the concept of a hot-blooded dinosaur), mixes facts with the time-travelers adventures, & includes plenty of details about earth history & evolution to educate the younger reader. There are poems, dialogues between old man & grandniece, & many entertaining, improbable moments to keep readers interested in the wealth of dinosaur data presented. One of the most amusing parts of the title is its back cover, in which a number of dinosaurs are identified within context of the time-traveling explorers' actions (an allosaurus, for example, watches a VW fade in the distance, while a dog chases an ancient bird-form, the Archaeopteryx). Brown's title will intrigue & educate a wide audience of adults & young adult readers; particularly those who are already fascinated by dinosaurs, & who have read much of the available literature. The different approach makes this title stand out.Brown, Lewis S. is the author of 'Yes, Helen, There Were Dinosaurs', published 1982 under ISBN 9780960854202 and ISBN 0960854207.