Dinotopia: Thunder Falls by Scott Ciencin
Join Joseph the human and Fleetfeet the Stegoceras as they embark on an adventure of friendship on the mysterious island Dinotopia. Both orphans, Joseph and Fleetfeet have been raised by their mentor Steelgaze, an older dinosaur. While both children are close friends, they compete with each other every chance they get. One day, their mentor sends them on a quest. The success of this quest can affect the safety of countless Dinotopians. While both have individual skills and talents, the human and dinosaur must learn that not everything is a competition or risk failure of their mission.
Background information: Dinotopia is a series of books that take place on a mysterious island called Dinotopia (shock!). This is an island where the dinosaurs went below earth during the "ice age" and thus survived and eventually came back above ground. These dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures were intellectual, capable of intelligent thought and speech, as well as the wearing of clothes and adoption of human-like behaviors. Over time, the rough sea around the island caused many ships to crash. The survivors of these shipwrecks are brought to Dinotopia by dolphins (thus earning the newcomers the title "dolphinbacks"). On this island, humans and dinosaurs live together in peace, enjoying diverse cultures and adventures. It's fairy tale material of the prehistoric kind.
I would suggest this series to children, about third grade reading level, who enjoy dinosaurs. However, many of the main characters in these stories are teenagers, so children may not be able to relate to them as well. A common theme in these books is friendship and overcoming differences and difficulties. It is a chapter book of over 100 pages. Each chapter is about 4-5 pages long, so it has plenty of stopping places.
