A Dinotopian Adventure!

Have your or your ever visited Dinotopia? If you had, you would remember. This beautifully imagined island world, in which humans and dinosaurs live together side by side, has been the stuff of reader's dreams ever since the first book, Dinotopia: A Land Apart From Time, was published in 1992. Written and illustrated in stunning oil paint by James Gurney, the series has inspired a huge following of fans, children and adults alike.

The books follow the exploits of a 19^th century explorer, Arthur Denison, and his son Will, who survive a shipwreck only to find themselves stranded on an island teeming with dinosaurs! Much to their amazement, however, humans and dinosaurs have adapted to live in harmony. The strengths of each dinosaur, whether she is a spiky stegosaurus or an imposing sauropod, are used to the advantage of all: dinos transport humans, operate uniquely designed contraptions, and carry messengers in flight. It is the ethnographic detail with which Arthur records and illustrates his observations about the world around him that sets this story apart, not to mention the unflagging creativity of the books' author.

Gurney's latest addition to the series, Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara, is no exception to the outstanding books that came before it. In the book, Arthur journeys to the eastern lands of Dinotopia, recording his amazing discoveries in his journal. On his journey he sees many new villages and makes several interesting encounters, including a woolly mammoth, a giant sloth (who comes bearing gifts), and even a dinosaur that resembles a giant knife-clawed chicken!

As always, it is Gurney's luminous paintings that transform the story from entertaining to out of this world. Glowing with sedate beauty, the illustrations will change your definition of dinosaurs for good. Seen in this light, they are as lively, emotive, engaging, and accessible as human characters, and every inch as real to readers young and old.