I was recently sent a review copy of Let’s Explore Dinosaurs Pop-Up from Smithsonian Books, originally published in China as “3D Big DinosaursBook”. Created by Mì Tóng, this pop-up book introduces readers to the various denizens of the Mesozoic Era.
Let’s Explore Dinosaurs is pretty good in terms of typical pop-up book features. It has lots of detailed pop-up scenes, flaps, and other action pieces, several of which are quite impressive in their size and complexity. I particularly liked the Tyrannosaurus rex head, the marine reptile page, and the ending scene featuring the extinction of the dinosaurs, with an exploding volcano and eye-popping meteor showers.
Some of the illustrations themselves are a bit hit or miss, though. Some are decent and up-to-date, while others feel a like a little less effort was put in. A few are copied from other sources (I noticed Franco Tempesta’s T. rex from Ultimate Dinopedia, for example), and some of the more original pieces still seem heavily inspired by other artists (all the ankylosaurs look very much like outdated John Sibbick pieces).
The information is all generally correct, at least, and does a decent job covering most of the basic dinosaur facts. You won’t get steered wrong by this book in any case!
Pop-up books are always fun, and I enjoyed this one, though I will stop short of giving it my full Stomp of Approval. I do still recommend checking it out if you get the chance, especially if you’re a pop-up afficionado. For other pop-up books I’ve reviewed, check out Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs, Sharks and Other Sea Monsters, Tyrannosaurus rex: A Pop-Up Guide to Anatomy, Jurassic World: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book, Prehistoric Pets, Dino World, and The Ultimate Book of Dinosaurs.
Dino Dad Reviews 