Paleontology has fascinated people for centuries, and Jack Horner is no exception. Having overseen the production of the Jurassic Park films, Horner was obsessed with the idea of bringing the long lost dinosaurs back to life. How To Build a Dinosaur describes Horner and his team's first steps toward creating the "Chickenosaurus," a genetically modified chicken resembling a non-avian dinosaur. The book borders on being a very persuasive sales pitch. Horner discusses the entire picture, from the ideal locations for finding extraordinarily well fossilized dinosaurs right down to the ways in which genetics drive evolution.

The most remarkable feature of this book is its readability. There is no need to be a paleontologist to be engrossed by this book. While some knowledge of biological terminology is recommended, like when Horner discusses the importance of cladistics, calling the method "revolutionary in the way we think about the past," this book does not pose a serious challenge for anyone who understands the basics of high school Biology. Horner keeps his writing technical, but his tone is that of one who is fully engaged in his life's work. He breaks up scientific sections with light-hearted remarks such as, "I can't say hats are as precious to paleontologists as they are to Texans, but they can be something of a signature, or talisman. Think Indiana Jones, without the bullets and Nazis and special effects." For people wishing to use this book as a means to get interested in paleontology, Horner also provides plenty of examples, explanations, and analogies to make his points. A particularly illustrative example is used when Horner describes how genes evolve, comparing genetics to a symphony. "The sound of the bassoons triggers the tympani. The bassoons are triggered by the violins, but depending on what the violins play, and when and how loud, the bassoons may play differently, which will affect the tympani. And if the tympani play long enough, that stops the violins." How To Build a Dinosaur is an engaging read that may perhaps outline the future of the paleontology field.