Sketches: A look at the book illustration process. See some of the preliminary and working sketches for Born to be Giants.
Coloring Book Pages: Dinosaur Coloring Book Pages. Download these activity pages!
A Dinosaur Dig: Pictures from Lita's dinosaur digs with the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.
- Hardcover: 48 pages
- Publisher: Roaring Brook-- April '10
- ISBN-13: 978-1596434431
- A Junior Library Guild Selection
- A Scholastic Book Fair Selection
Have you ever wondered what a dinosaur might have looked like sitting on its eggs? Or what kind of parent a Tyrannosaurus Rex might have been? Discover the world of baby dinosaurs in Born to be Giants!
This book fills a lifelong dream to investigate paleontologists’ understanding of baby dinosaurs and their parents. It was an exciting book to research because scientists have made many great new discoveries of fossilized baby dinosaurs, nests, and eggs in recent years. I wrote and illustrated the book in a format with hypotheses about dinosaur behavior following clues to engage young readers in the scientific method.
Because birds evolved from dinosaurs, watching birds of prey made me imagine how baby dinosaurs might have behaved. I've always been interested in birds, but fascinated with dinosaurs.
When I turned fifteen, I wrote the Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Alberta, Canada and asked to volunteer on a dinosaur dig. Dr. Philip Currie, the curator of the museum, was kind enough to allow a teenager on his summer crew. I spent the next three summers digging up dinosaur bones, studying fossils, and expanding my imagination.
Here's an example of the format of the book. First we see some clues. These are things that are known about dinosaurs based on fossil evidence along with observations about animals, like crocodiles, that are alive today.
Then we see a hypothesis of possible dinosaur behavior.
"Judge has broken new ground with this book, taking evidence discovered by paleontologists and using that information to hypothesize how dinosaurs may have behaved...Well written, handsomely illustrated, and thoughtfully organized...This title is a must-have for classrooms and school libraries. Science teachers tackling the nature of science, scientific method, survival of the fittest, animal behavior and more will find this one a gem...Highly recommended."
-The Miss Rumphius Effect, May 2010
"Eye-catching illustrations and the combination of two perennially popular topics make this book a sure hit."
-Kirkus, March 15, 2010
"For the kid who thinks they've seen it all, every dinosaur concept this side of the sun, Born to Be Giants offers something a little different for the average scaly-skinned enthusiast. Beautiful to look at, chock full of facts, and from a source you can trust, Lita Judge proved that in the world of dinos, there's an author out there to watch."
-Fuse #8, May 2010
"..insightful book filled with fascinating details...expressive paintings make artful use of dimension and scale while bringing the compelling creatures to life."
-Pulishers Weekly, March 29, 2010
"The text is a model of logical reasoning...The detailed, richly colored illustrations, which often place readers at baby-dinosaur eye level, take the same care in balancing accuracy and imagination."
-Horn Book Magazine, May/June, 2010
"..a full measure of visual appeal." -Booklist, March 1, 2010
"A surefire hit for dinophiles." -School Library Journal, May, 2010
"No one has presented some of these findings to children yet. Nor have dinosaurs been presented in quite this way before. Judge’s approach is one that celebrates the scientific method, first offering facts scientists have gathered about various types of dinosaur babies, then making educated guesses about their behavior."
-Concord Monitor, May, 2010
"Of particular interest are the juxtapositions of the prehistoric creatures with contemporary counterparts, illustrating conjectured behavior. An excellent introduction to the science of juvenile dinosaurs."
-GregLSBlog