When I first read that an eight-year-old had written a published book about dinosaurs, my first reaction was “how cute.” However when I was finally able to examine a copy of the book, I blushed with shame at my initial condescension.
Elliott Seah did indeed write Elliott’s Guide to Dinosaurs when he was eight (he is now ten as of this writing); and it is a book that those of us who were once eight and thoroughly enraptured with paleontology should look at with the respect it deserves – the respect we would have desired for ourselves had we done something similar, assuming of course that we possessed the talent equivalent to Master Seah’s that would have enabled us to do so, which I with all honesty will readily admit that I did not.
For indeed, as even an initial quick look clearly shows, it is a book worthy of respect. From my examination of it thus far I have already determined that it is much more honest toward, and respectful of, young readers than much of what I find written for them by adults, and that it would be superb as a book for children and adults to read together (so that the children can explain some of the more complex points on the subject to the adults when needed).
