Hiding Dinosaurs

July 15, 2015
In this comical emergent reader, a half-dozen eggs that are past their sell-by date provide a big surprise when they hatch into baby dinosaurs. The unnamed narrator of the story notices the eggs moving in their carton, and soon they've hatched into tiny dinosaurs that the boy's mother mistakes for toys. The boy hides the six prehistoric reptiles, all different types, in his room for a while, with some funny results as he strives to keep his parents out of his room: "Don't come in! I'm naked!" he lies. In fairy-tale fashion, the dinosaurs grow to full size rapidly, eventually bursting through the roof of the family home. The boy's parents are surprised at this development but receptive to their new pets, and the dinosaurs are welcomed into the neighborhood. Watercolor illustrations with pen-and-ink outlines depict smiling dinosaurs with bulging eyes and mottled skin colors. The dinosaurs are all a friendly bunch, giving rides to the neighbor kids and a fast mode of aerial transportation for the boy's mom to get to work. Though the story isn't particularly inventive, the enduring popularity of dinosaurs reappearing in the modern age will make this a useful addition to collections for new readers in libraries and classrooms. An intriguing cover, attractive, action-filled illustrations, and an amusing story add up to a beginning reader with solid appeal. (Early reader. 5-8)

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December 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Dinosaurs are not the easiest creatures to fit inside a house. When some outdated eggs start to hatch into dinosaurs, the young protagonist keeps this news from his parents. He quickly realizes he won't be able to hide his newfound pets for long when they burst out of the house. To his delight, though, his parents embrace the dinosaurs and love them just as he does. The large text and ample white space make this offering a comfortable choice for beginning readers who are looking to read and share a story with a parent or older sibling. Peppy illustrations of mischievous and colorful dinosaurs move the text along and add a good dose of brightness. VERDICT An additional purchase for beginning reader collections in need of more dinosaur-themed titles.-Ashley Prior, Lincoln Public Library, RI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
When some store-bought eggs hatch into dinosaurs, the narrator is thrilled. He convinces his parents that they're toys until they grow so big that--surprise!--their heads pop through the roof. Another surprise? His parents love dinos. The cartoony illustrations are unremarkable, but the story works, as does this inviting format: picture book proportions with beginning-reader sentences.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)