by Simon Mole (Author) Matt Hunt (Illustrator)
Bold, bright, and brimming with facts, this hilariously droll introduction to the prehistoric world will enthrall new dinosaur fans and ignite their curiosity.
Did you know that Giganotosaurus had a tongue big enough to be your bed? That plant eaters evolved at different heights to assure there would be more than enough food for all--with each nibbling at a different point on the tree?
Thirty exuberant poems, divided into four fact-packed sections, put readers up close and personal with species from T. rex and Triceratops to Stegosaurus and Velociraptor. Some have lines of terrible teeth, while others sport feathery peacock tails. All thunder off the page in vibrant illustrations pitched to poems that ring with humor and heart, while relaying well-researched facts about dinosaur anatomy, diet, herd behavior, and more.
Young devotees will demand to read this energetic tribute to the dinosaurs, in all their larger-than-life glory, over and over again. Back matter includes a time line and information about the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.
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K-Gr 3--Award-winning children's poet and author, Mole, brings dinosaurs to life with his lyrical and rhyming verse that includes interesting facts and pronunciation guides for about 30 different dinosaurs. The book is divided into four sections: "Meet the Dinosaurs," "Eat or Be Eaten," "Dinosaur Families," and "The End. Or Is It?" Included are favorites like Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor, as well as lesser known dinosaurs such as Baryonyx (Bair-ee-ON-iks), "Swift sprinter/ Tail flicker/ River watcher/ Quick dasher/ Fish grabber/ Flesh ripper/ Best hunter/ Gets dinner!" and Coelophysis (SEE-lo-FIE-sis), "You're a slowpoke and I'm so faaaaast./ If we had a race, you would come in laaaaast." Exuberant poems are aptly matched by bold and dynamic artwork. Hunt uses a variety of mixed media to brightly illustrate full-page dinosaurs in all their larger-than-life glory. The book closes with a dinosaur time line as well as a description of how fossils are found and an invitation, "Maybe the next incredible discovery/ will show us that something in this book isn't true./ Maybe it will be found by somebody reading this book./ Somebody like YOU!" Pair this with older favorite dinosaur poetry titles, including Jack Prelutsky's classic, Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast and Douglas Florian's, Dinothesaurus: Prehistoric Poems and Paintings. VERDICT A great introduction to dinosaurs for young children. The lively text and colorful illustrations make it a wonderful read-aloud that will engage young readers and ignite their curiosity about these prehistoric creatures. A welcome addition for homes, schools, and libraries.--Carole Phillips
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