Dinotopia - Tree Town

This is my first look at some of the iconic locations from Dinotopia. I'm going to focus on the original book first, but I can always look at some of the other books as well. For those unfamiliar with the book, Dinotopia is an island lost in time- discovered by a Victorian era explorer and his son by accident Over the course of time the Denisons range all over the vast island, encountering various cultures and terrain. And of course... dinosaurs. 

The thing is- the dinosaurs here are intelligent. Having developed into a species capable of using tools, they have allied with humans who have been shipwrecked on the island and have built a stable society together. The hallmarks of which are clean, orderly cities and productive settlements. And peace- other than the occasional rogue dino, cooperation and coexistence is the norm. This alone makes this a wonderful fantasy for young and young at heart alike. 

Since I enjoy some of the locations featured here, I thought I'd provide a closer look at some favorites. This time I'm looking at Tree Town, a settlement in the north of Dinotopia. Tree Town is an idyllic place, set within a great oak forest near Deep Lake. Brachiosaurus families stop by for treats and life is peaceful here.  

I could totally get into Tree Town, I think. It looks homey and everyone chips in to keep the place up- it would require a lot of work, I imagine- but the thought of swinging high above the ground, feeding the dinosaurs, and enjoying the camaraderie with the other tree dwellers sounds great. At least for a while? Maybe like the Denisons from the book, I would wander all over the island for a time, getting a sense for what life is like in each place before settling down in, say, Waterfall City or somewhere. 

There are other settlements nearby and I think this would be a great area to explore, with the forest all around and the great plains to the north. Imagine living amongst the trees, eating together in the communal eating area, bonfires at night before climbing into your sleeping basket. I mean sure, there's be bugs and storms might be a problem, not to mention cold weather and maybe a little too much togetherness- but let's focus on the positives, right? At any rate- it would be an awesome place to visit.