How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
| How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Magda Healey
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| Summary: Another picture book about child-like dinosaurs (or dinosaur-liked toddlers), this time concentrating on table manners. Witty in the 'bad behaviours' section, a bit too instructional in the 'good behaviours' one, but still not bad. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: January 2006 |
| Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books | |
| ISBN: 978-0007216093 | |
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How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? was a witty and visually creative tale of Very Bad Bedtime Behaviour for modern children enamoured of dinosaurs. How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? continues the formula, this time with table manners.
As in the previous Yolen title, the book features a dinosaur toddler behaving disgracefully - this time at the table - and two harassed human parents (in fact several sets of human parents, of various ages, social classes and races). The part of the book depicting the mayhem is delightful. Most toddlers and young pre-schoolers will enjoy the depictions of throwing food, wailing, blowing bubbles in milk and sticking vegetables up one's nose, and there is nothing as good as the sanctimony of a three year old, who himself dropped half of his potatoes on the carpet an hour before, now pouring opprobrium on a transgressing dinosaur. There is also some deep, subconsciously fitting accuracy to the idea of a toddler misbehaving at a table being depicted as a monster-lizard: it certainly does seem like that, especially in a public place!
The instructional part, demonstrating good manners, is a tad too didactic for my liking, but fulfils the purpose well and provides a nice closing. The simple, rhyming text scans well, and is good for reading aloud, while the CD enclosed with the book is an added bonus, read with great expression and lots of umph.
Mark Teague's illustrations are excellent: stylish, very funny and dynamic, redolent of the mayhem and with brilliantly depicted expressions on human and lizard faces.
Recommended for all toddlers and young pre-schoolers, better and worse behaved, as well as fussy eaters.
Thanks to the publishers for sending this book to the Bookbag.
Mealtime mayhem is also addressed in Night of the Veggie Monster by George McClements.
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You can read more book reviews or buy How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague at Amazon.com.
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