When Bugs Were Big, Plants Were Strange, and Tetrapods Stalked the Earth: A Cartoon Prehistory of Life Before Dinosaurs

This is the coolest science picture book I have found in a long time! Great sketches, quirky storyline and it's chuck full of facts that kids will grasp onto and learn from. I found myself learning stuff I never knew. Great book! RECOMMENDED

As a sixth grade science teacher, I am always amazed that my students have the misconception that dinosaurs were the first organisms to be on earth. Indeed, there is a couple of billion year history before the dinosaurs. This book does a great job of at least showing what else was around with the dinosaurs. The cartoon format draws children in and engages them in reading the informative, upbeat, and fun text that supports the fabulous illustrations. After reviewing this book at a science museum teacher workshop, I knew I needed a copy for my classroom library. Open the book and you'll be hooked, too! If you are looking for a well-written non-fiction children's book, this is a great one (especially if you have a child interested in dinosaurs). If you're looking for a funny and engaging book with fun cartoons and easy-to-understand text, you've found it.

The author does a great job explaining life before the dinosaurs. It can be difficult for kids to "get" the fact that there were big reptiles (and amphibians) before the Age of Dinosaurs, and some authors find it easier to just lump those beasts together with dinosaurs. But not here. Ms. Bonner does a nice job detailing differences in reptiles and amphibians, and also does one of the best jobs I've seen in a children's book of explaining vegetation -- why it was different then, how it evolved, and how it turned into coal. This book is a definite keeper for the 6 and up set -- my daughter, turning four soon, is a big dinosaur buff, and likes the cartoon pictures more than the science behind it. But when she's ready for a nice overview of the Permian period, I'll pull out "When Bugs Were Big."

This book is delightfully drawn, and accurate about the facts it covers, but it's also very funny, with amusing cartoon images as illustration.

This book was a present to my two kids, ages 6 and 8, but I've enjoyed it as much as they did. My kids love dinosaurs, and I've read dinosaur book after dinosaur book. This is the first book that showed me what was around before the dinosaurs. The author (and illustrator) do a great job of being entertaining and informative. The drawing and humor are fantastic, and there are lots of little details that show up in the second, third and fourth reading (always an advantage in favorite childrens books). I highly recommend "When Bugs Were Big" for both parents and children who want to learn more about what the world was like before.