Ankylosaur Attack. (Tales of Prehistoric Life). Daniel Loxton. Illustrated by Daniel Loxton with Jim W.W. Smith. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2011. 32 pp., hardcover, $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-631-3. Subject Headings: Ankylosaurus-Juvenile literature. Tyrannosaurus rex-Juveile literature. Grades 1-2 / Ages 6-7. Review by Gail Hamilton. *** /4

excerpt:

The old dinosaur was very bad tempered. He had a sore leg. The pain made him want to fight.

As the young dinosaur came near, the old one stomped the ground. He grunted and roared. He waved his tail club back and forth. The message was clear: Go away!

The young dinosaur turned to leave. He did not notice hungry eyes watching from the forest nearby.

In this fictionalized account, a young ankylosaur, looking for food, encounters an older, injured dinosaur of the same species. The young ankylosaur approaches the older one but is rebuffed. However, when a ferocious tyrannosaurus rex attacks the injured dinosaur, the younger ankylosaurus comes to the rescue, engaging the tyrannosaurus in a fight and swinging his bony tail club into the T-rex’s flank. Bleeding and hurt, the tyrannosaurus retreats and limps off into the forest.

      Though the story, itself, is fairly typical of dinosaur books, the author’s use of suspense, onomatopoeia and descriptive vocabulary will delight young readers. For example: “Crraaaaash! The tyrannosaur smashed through the branches. She let out a ferocious RAAAARRRRR! Her teeth glistened. Slobber flew from her enormous mouth.”

      What sets Ankylosaur Attack apart from others of its type, however, are the computer-generated illustrations which look like colour photographs. The “photos” are clear, vibrant and quite exceptional in the way in which they show texture, especially in terms of the dinosaurs’ bodies, the vegetation and the rocky terrain.

      A page at the back of Ankylosaur Attack provides very brief factual information about ankylosaurs and tyrannosaurs.

      Ankylosaur Attack will definitely appeal to children who are dinosaur fans. Though the reading level is geared toward primary students, preschoolers will enjoy having the book read to them.

Recommended.

Gail Hamilton is a former teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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