Cretaceous

The Cretaceous period was filled with danger, but even amid this chaotic world, there was beauty. Some animals cared for their young and formed close-knit family units. This graphic novel wordlessly tells the dramatic story of a family of Tyrannosaurs that endures all kinds of threats and traumas that separate them and then keep them apart until, finally, the remaining members are poignantly reunited.

This book requires several readings, and it deserves them. The drawings are based on meticulous research and study. The first time you read it, you will just be stunned by the intricate, beautiful illustrations that thoroughly immerse you in this ancient world. Constant scenes of predation and conflict are occasionally lightened with bucolic images of herds of hadrosaurs or a solitary sea turtle — but the message is obvious: nothing stays peaceful here for long, and one animal’s triumph means another one’s death. At first, it may be difficult to discern that the entire story follows just a single Tyrannosaurs family group — the juveniles look very different from the adults, so much so, that at first, they may not even seem like the same species. It looks like the book just moves from one ecosystem to the next, with a good flow, but not a coherent story. But go back and read it again. Now you begin to see how this group is related, and how the actions of other animals affect this small group. Suddenly the Tyrannosaurs are sympathetic and tragic. They have emotion — grief, and despair. And could these giants actually love? We may never know. But in this story, we can believe it.