Explains how the various orders and suborders of dinosaurs were similar and different in structure and appearance

One of the most geologically complex and diverse states, California spent much of the age of dinosaurs under water. While most of the fossils found in the state are those of reptiles that lived in the sea (thalattosaurs, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and turtles), some are those of birds and pterosaurs that soared above it. Other fossils come from terrestrial animals that died and were washed into the ocean. These include turtles, crocodiles, lizards, and dinosaurs such as armored ankylosaurs, duck-billed hadrosaurs, and a variety of carnivorous dinosaurs. Richard Hilton is the first to tell the unsung story of the dinosaurs and reptiles of land, sea, and sky that lived in California and Baja California during the Mesozoic era (245 million-65 million years ago), in addition to the history of their discovery. Vibrantly illustrated with more than three hundred photographs, paintings, and drawings, this book provides geological and environmental details, describes the significance of the major fossils, and chronicles the adventures involved in the discovery, preparation, and publishing of the finds. Hilton also includes accounts of the scientists, teachers, students, ranchers, and weekend fossil hunters who endured (and continue to endure) harsh weather, fires, wild animals, and the usual challenges of fieldwork to collect fossil remains and make major discoveries. These enthusiasts managed to safeguard an abundance of fossil resources, some of which would otherwise have been destroyed by quarrying, paving, and housing developments. Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California takes this legacy one step further by documenting information about the fossils and their finders in accessible prose and vivid artistic renderings, creating a valuable contribution to our understanding of California’s prehistoric past.

An encyclopedia of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, containing descriptions of their key features, evolutionary adaptations and details of fossil evidence, reconstructed in stunning expert illustrations.

Learning through play: That's the hallmark of Twirl's popular Magnetology™ series. Forty-five magnetic pieces provide kids with lots of fun—and knowledge—that they can use to fill five dramatic oversized scenes. Fascinating information just right to for its audience about the Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Triassic periods are packed into this all-in-one playset, along with many facts about various prehistoric creatures. The perfect travel and take-along book for young dinosaur fans.

"In a raw seacoast cabin, a young woman watches her boyfriend go out with his brother, late one night, on a mysterious job she realizes she isn t supposed to know about. A man gets a call at work from his sister-in-law, saying that his wife and his daughter never made it to nursery school that day. A mother learns that her teenage daughter has told a teacher about problems in her parents marriage that were meant to be private problems the mother herself tries to ignore. McLaughlin conveys these characters so vividly that readers will feel they are experiencing real life. Often the stories turn on a single, fantastic moment of clarity after which nothing can be the same."--

Text and art portray over 100 prehistoric reptiles of land, sea, and air, including the reptiles that preceded the dinosaurs, the dinosaur giants of the Mesozoic Ear, and the large reptiles of the age of mammals.

Illustrations and rhyming text explore some of the things that dinosaurs might do when they are angry--and how they should control their tempers.