A budding “Expert-osaurus” shares some information on all things dinosaur.
The young narrator loves everything about dinos: knowing their names, reading about them, learning facts (some could fly; some were herbivores, some carnivores), attending dino-themed parties, visiting a cool dinosaur museum, digging up fossils with a paleontologist, making a volcano, and practicing dinosaur roars. But the bonus attraction is knowing that dinosaurs are extinct, “so they’ll never catch me!” McClurkan’s appealing cartoon illustrations mix pastels with bright Day-Glo hues, using little or no outlining and full but uncluttered compositions. As in the publisher’s other 10 Things titles, this book has a counting element (the child lists favorite things about dinosaurs, in numerical order), but, apart from the cover, no numerals can be found, only number words. And while three bluebirds happen to be on the page for Number 3, no counting elements are hidden in the pictures—a missed opportunity. Still, it’s an exuberant romp that dino fans will find relatable; they’ll especially love the dino facts. The narrator is light-skinned with short brown hair. Mom, Dad, and a sister are also light-skinned, while the protagonist’s brother is brown-skinned. People throughout are racially diverse, and a character who uses a wheelchair can be seen at the museum.
Sure to please young dinophiles. (pronunciation help) (Picture book. 3-7) —Kirkus Reviews
For one young boy, dinosaurs are at the heart of everything he loves and does. From knowing what dinosaurs ate to understanding that the biggest dinosaurs did not always win, there are huge quantities of information to learn, with even more left to be discovered. And with a supportive family behind him, this boy is able to immerse himself in the world of dinosaurs to his heart’s content. From the first page, readers count all of the unnamed narrator’s favorite things about dinosaurs along with him, and each new entry is prefaced by its own number in a separate color from the rest of the text and in bold font. Following a short description of each item, additional text appears in speech bubbles before readers are guided to the next page by a brief line of text and ellipsis. Cheerful, cartoonlike images invite readers into the story in a welcoming way, and it is charming to observe how connected the narrator’s family becomes over the topic of dinosaurs. Filled with dinosaur facts, names, and even jokes, this book is one that young dinosaur fans and their families will appreciate reading together. At the end of the book, a brief pronunciation guide reminds readers of some of the more challenging vocabulary that appears in the story. VERDICT This is a fun and lighthearted addition to library collections. –School Library Journal
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