Books: Dinotopia

Children are visual creatures, so it comes as no surprise that many books intended for younger audiences contain some striking illustrations. “Dinotopia,” a book by James Gurney, was one of the most conspicuous of these works when I was growing up. Gurney wrote and illustrated the book, and although the pseudo-travelogue prose is quaint enough, the amazing paintings of dinosaurs are what takes center stage.

There isn’t much (if any) conflict here – the place is supposed to be a utopia, after all. The narrator and his son are shipwrecked, eventually landing on the titular island where dinosaurs still roam and where people live side-by-side with them in harmony. There are some anatomical missteps (the T. Rex in particular is shockingly incorrect), and the many sequels and spinoffs have diluted the brand soemwhat, but I still have fond memories of "Dinotopia."