Imagine life as a real dinosaur, not tales of the monsters from movies and cartoons, but true stories and adventures from millions of years ago. Now in this illustrated book, readers can experience the life of one such prehistoric being. "Bandit's Legacy" is the story of a young dromaeosaur (raptor) dinosaur, Bandit, and his adventures in surviving the world of Early Cretaceous Montana. It begins with his exploration of unfamiliar territory following the demise of his birth family. Searching for food, he comes across several other species. Eventually, his presence catches the attention of another pack of dromaeosaurs including a young female, Jewel. In time, he gains acceptance by her pack and becomes a worthy member. "Bandit's Legacy" takes the reader on their encounters with other dinosaurs of the period including Tenontosaurus, Microvenator, Sauroposeidon, Acrocanthosaurus, Zephyrosaurus, and Aquilops. After a successful hunt, another pack of dromaeosaurs tries to go for the fallen prey. With food in short supply, Bandit's pack desperately fights back. They win, but lose their leader, Jager, making Bandit the pack's new Alpha. I created "Bandit's Legacy" to educate younger readers on how dinosaurs may have actually lived and behaved. Older readers will gain valuable insight, too. Often, when people think of "dinosaur," (Latin for "terrible lizard,") their minds turn toward the monsters in hit movies. In reality, not all were enormous killing machines. Some were as small as sparrows. These magnificent creatures cared for their young and may have lived in tight knit family groups like other modern species. Many had feathers instead of scales or skin (early bird ancestors), and males were brightly colored to help attract mates. Readers get up close and personal with these prehistoric creatures. My goal is to help people gain a better understanding and appreciation for these incredible species that inhabited Earth millions of years ago.
