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Dinotopia by James Gurney Book Review

Dinotopia by James Gurney
20th Anniversary Edition

While perusing the shelves of a library, James Gurney comes across a sketchbook diary of a forgotten explorer. Inside Arthur Denison, and his son William, account for their adventures on a lost island. An island in which humans and sentient dinosaurs live together harmoniously. It speaks of wonderful cities, a unique culture and way of life, a dinosaur alphabet, festivals, and danger.

Published in 1992, Dinotopia has thrilled readers young and old. It is Atlantis, Narnia, and Oz all rolled into one. It has been published in 18 languages, sold over two million copies, won a Hugo award, was the inspiration for a television mini-series, an animated film, and several video games. It spawned numerous sequels from art versions like the original to novels and children's series. In 2002 the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History had a Dinotopia exhibit using the dinosaurs featured in the book.

Are we getting the picture yet? This book has been out for two decades and the real question is, if you haven't read this yet, why haven't you? The illustrations that accompany the journalistic quality of the novel are awe inspiring. The story itself is a fabulous fantasy adventure that paints the picture of a wholly unique and wonderful world that any child would love to imagine themselves a part of. I know that my siblings and I used to lay on the floor and stare at the pictures, sometimes reading the words and sometimes just taking in the beauty of James Gurney's art.







 

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