Oh gosh! Who let the dinosaurs out? …

By Robert Francis

Dinosaur Rescue!

By Penny Dale
Nosy Crow/Candlewick Press. $15.99 (Ages: 2-5)

The dinosaurs that appeared in “Dinosaur Dig!” and “Dinosaur Zoom!” by Penny Dale make an encore in this fun picture book that shows these multi-talented creatures playing a new role – manning rescue vehicles.

It all begins when the dinosaur train is chugging along and a truck stalls on the track ahead of the train. The call quickly goes out, “Calling Dinosaur Rescue. Dinosaur Rescue, please come quickly! Help! Help!”

The Dinosaur fire rescue truck and ambulance rush to the scene of the mishap. The Dinosaur police car races on a road next to the steam engine and the officers try to get the train to stop. In the air, a helicopter hovers over the truck on the track.

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” everyone shouts. “Hooray!” The train stops just in time.

Now it is time to clear the truck off the tracks and then go back to the Dinosaur Rescue yard where the equipment can be cleaned and then everyone can take a nap!

Big, bold, colorful illustrations of the rescue equipment and the dinosaurs make this a book that will appeal to any youngster who loves trucks and dinosaurs. It isn’t often the two come together in one book!

Chick-O-Saurus Rex

By Lenore and Daniel Jennewein
Simon & Schuster. $16.99 (Ages: 4-8)

Besides sporting a few life lessons on dealing with bullies, fostering self-confidence, and refusing to be detoured by obstacles set in one’s way, this picture is also a lot of fun.

Little Chick wants to play with the other animals in the barnyard and be part of their tree house group. But, before they accept Little Chick into the club, he has to prove how brave he or his ancestors have been.

When a “No Chickens Allowed” is nailed to the tree house, Little Chick walks away totally dejected. Finding his father, Little Chick asks, “Didn’t anyone in our family ever do anything brave and mighty?”

Remembering that there was some talk in the family about an ancient ancestor who lies buried on the farm, Little Chick decides to do a little digging and he uncovers an amazing fossil.

That discovery and how it changes Little Chick is chronicled in the rest of this picture book but, as you will see, the knowledge effects quite a change in Little Chick’s behavior and also how others view him.

Even though he is the smallest in the group, Little Chick doesn’t let that fact deter him or keep him from being part of the Tree House gang. His actions and determination make the other animals see they made a mistake in trying to exclude him.

Dinosaurology: The Search for a Lost World

By Raleigh Rimes
Candlewick Press. $19.99 (Ages: 8-12)

Another volume in the “Ology” series, this masterful book will be a hit with youngsters who can’t get enough information about dinosaurs. Filled with flaps and booklets containing dinosaur lore and featuring such novelties as a sample swatch of dinosaur skin, a small pouch of ground stegosaurus horn, and a bag of precious gems, “Dinosaurology” is formatted to represent a journal that charts the hair raising odyssey of two young adventurers on a South American expedition seeking a herd of living dinosaurs.

On a remote island off the coast, the two men discover a variety of creatures long thought to be extinct. This fanciful trip of exploration filled with plenty of real dinosaur material is so captivating that once the reader opens the book, he or she will be totally captivated and unable to set the beautifully designed book down.

This is a “must purchase” for anyone who is building a dinosaur library and even older readers will find this to be a fascinating read.

How Dinosaurs Really Work!

By Alan Snow
Atheneum. $17.99 (Ages: 4-8)

What to know what color dinosaurs were? How sharp their teeth were? Or, perhaps, how large a brontosaurus’ brain was? If the answer is “Yes!”, you have come to the right place. Using his delightful cartoons illustrations and sense of humor, Alan Snow answers these a host of other questions about dinosaurs.

The author/illustrator fills each page with his drawings and plenty of facts about each dinosaur he discusses. There’s so much going on and so many details that the you’ll want to take your time to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Many of the two page spreads feature large illustrations that offer a funny view of what’s going on inside a dinosaur. For example, the Rube Goldberg-like innards of the T-Rex are reminiscent of a pirate ship with tiny green dinos manning the “engine room” while others prepare for an attack in the “nerve center” (brain) of the aggressive creature.

Along with hard facts (a T-Rex could weigh up to six tons) the author shares what he dubs “Dino Jokes.”

“What do you call a Tyrannosaurus Rex when he is wearing a cowboy hat and boots? Tyrannosaurus TEX!”

Perfect for younger readers who might be a little put off or made uneasy by the more realistic portrayals of dinosaurs, this picture book is not only non-threatening but also a lot of fun. There’s a nice blend of silly humor with solid information which means mom and dad won’t have to worry about nightmares after story time is over!

Dino Tracks

By Rhonda Lucas Donald
Illustrated by Cathy Morrison
SylvanDell. $9.95 (Ages: 4-6)

Here’s the opportunity to “walk in their shoes,” so-to-speak, and learn a little more about the lives of various dinosaurs. The tracks they left behind offer clues to the movement and behavior of these ancient creatures.

“Look at the footprints the creatures made.

What do the marks help prove?

The shape of the feet help show what it might eat.

The spacing, how it moved.”

I’m not sure the rhyme the author uses to present the narrative is a real plus. It may turn off older readers, although younger one’s probably won’t mind that much.

In a school setting, this little picture book can be used to launch a discussion about dinosaurs. The learning activities at the back will engage the child in discussing what has been read and the activities will help expand the topic as well.