Before reading Dinosaurs Don't, Dinosaurs Do by Steve
Björkman, I had no idea dinosaurs were such pleasant creatures.
These dinosaurs would be welcome in my home any day, and they should
be in yours, too! Their good manners, appropriate behavior, and
kind disposition are sure to rub off on your children in no time.
Dinosaurs Don't, Dinosaurs Do is a quality hardback
book featuring large, easy-to-read text and hilarious illustrations.
Each 2-page spread portrays dinosaurs doing something they shouldn't
and doing something they should. For instance, one of my favorites
shows a T-Rex shoving pancakes into his mouth and syrup flying
everywhere with the caption: "Dinosaurs don't eat like this." The
next page shows a pretty pink dinosaur with neatly stacked pancakes
happily passing the syrup to another dinosaur that is appropriately
using his fork with the caption: "Dinosaurs eat like this." The
entire 24-page book follows this pattern. It is simple but effective--easy
to read, yet engaging. My first grader read it with ease and pointed
out that the predictable pattern was what she liked so much about
it.
This book is an I Like to Read(TM) book, a new picture book series
that provides even the newest reader with a quality and satisfying
reading experience. All books in the series are written at a kindergarten/first
grade reading level. They have simple sentences, repetition, familiar
vocabulary, and illustrations that closely match the text.
The website offers a full color brochure about the series in Adobe
format, and a complete listing of the, at present, four books in
the series. The books are a little more expensive than the average,
paperback easy-readers. Cost is $14.95 per book, but they are high
quality and remind me of all the "shelf worthy" books I have read
to my kids over the years, and will keep around for grandkids one
day.
Though Dinosaurs Don't, Dinosaurs Do was purposefully
written as an easy reader, I think it would also make a great read-aloud
to the younger crowd, so I recommend it as both. In fact, I know
of three little nephews who would love this book!
Product Review by Brandi Tesreau, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine,
LLC, December, 2011
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