Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers? (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers?

Birds have feathers, but did you know some dinosaurs did too? New fossils have shown that as long as 145 million years ago, some dinosaurs had feathers, just as birds do. The birds you see outside your window are relatives of these ancient creatures.

Ages 5-9

Jean Boreen, Ph.D. - Children's Literature

Using the related questions, "So where did birds come from? And how did this amazing feathers develop?", Zoehfeld follows the discovery of a two-and-a-half inch feather/fossil print in 1860 to the evolution of Archaeopteryx, the first skeleton found that did, indeed, boast wings. Throughout the text, Zoehfield questions whether Archaeopteryx is actually the forerunner of modern birds through a series of questions and answers that allow the young reader to understand how certain dinosaurs probably evolved into birds. Noting that one group of dinosaurs, the theropods, have distinct similarities to birds, the author then goes into a great amount of detail about the evolution of feathers from protofeathers that were probably used more to gain attention to feathers that developed to keep the dinosaurs warm. The last two pages of the text highlight more ways to find out about feathers in the contemporary sense. This is a solid read for primary grade readers who are ready to move from simply exposition to a more subtle, problem-solving approach. 2004, HarperTrophy, and Ages 5 to 9.