About the Holiday
Read a New Book Month is a fantastic time to scour your local bookstore and library for books that have recently been published or books that are new to you. Finding a book that you’ve never read before is exciting at any age, and discovering a new book about a favorite topic is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Today’s book shows that there’s always an intriguing way to present a subject—even if it’s millions of years old!
Dinoblock
Written by Christopher Franceschelli | Illustrated by Peskimo
Welcome to the dinosaur museum! Open the doors and let’s see what’s inside! “Who are the dinosaurs” and where are they? You can explore the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous period and find out! One of the best ways to learn about those creatures from so long ago is to compare them to animals and things you’re familiar with now. For example: What dinosaur has a “neck like a goose?” A coelophysis—and they even like to find food in the water too!
Image copyright Peskimo, 2015, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams Books for Young Readers.
Do you want to guess which dino is “quick like a fox?” The eoraptor is swift and enjoys nighttime hunts as well. Do you like sleeping in a tent? Did you know there’s a dinosaur that has “a back like tents on a hill?” It’s called a stegosaurus! The diplodocus is as long as a blue whale, and a brachiosaurus can reach the tops of tall trees just “like the ladder on a fire truck.” And if you think that is tall, the sauroposeidon stands as tall as a six-story building.
Image copyright Peskimo, 2015, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams Books for Young Readers.
You might say that the argentinosaurus was the cement truck of the dinosaur world. You know how bunnies like to burrow? So did the oryctodromeus, while spinosaurus floated in water as well as a crocodile. A couple of the smallest dinosaurs are the chicken-sized microraptor and the turkey-sized micropachycephalosaurus. Phew!
Image copyright Peskimo, 2015, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams Books for Young Readers.
In the museum, you’ll also discover a dinosaur that had excellent night vision, a dino built like an armored truck, one that boasted a fancy head crest, one that trumpeted like an elephant, a type that roamed in herd like zebras, and a few that were could be ferocious—like the fanged sinornithosaurus, the triceratops, and, of course, the tyrannosaurus.
Image copyright Peskimo, 2015, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams Books for Young Readers.
Christopher Franceschelli’s clever take on paleontology for those little ones that are enthralled with dinosaurs (and which ones aren’t?) welcomes readers to appreciate these fascinating creatures in a whole new way. From the double gate-fold first page that opens the door to this chunky mini-museum to the final double gate-fold spread that depicts a stunning exhibit of dinosaur skeletons, Franceschelli describes twenty-three dinosaurs in language that even the youngest readers will understand. His examples take in the size, personality, diet, and body features that draw kids to these creatures from the past.
Image copyright Peskimo, 2015, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams Books for Young Readers.
The charm of this little wonder extends to the illustrations by Peskimo, in which cute-but-realistically portrayed dinosaurs roam in what was their native habitat and Franceschelli’s smart comparisons are traced with smooth die-cuts. Turn the page, and the dinosaur in question fits neatly into the die-cut’s curves, providing young readers with learning on multiple levels. Peskimo’s eye-catching illustrations are rendered in a sophisticated palette that will keep little ones riveted to each page. Two young museum-goers lead the way from page to page in this stylish field trip in a book, and Peskimo’s final image of the hall of dinosaur skeletons is sure to raise an “Ooooh!” from children and adults alike.
Dinoblock is a beautifully crafted sturdy board book that will stand up to plenty of exploration. It would be a much-loved gift and a favorite on any young child’s bookshelf.
Ages 1 – 4
Harry N. Abrams, 2015 | ISBN 978-1419716744
View a portfolio of artwork by Peskimo on his website
Read a New Book Activity
Initial Book End
With so many new books to add to your shelf, you might need a bookend to keep them all neat and tidy! With this easy craft that uses your name’s first initial
, you make a bookend that is just as unique as you are!
Supplies
- Wooden block initial
- Chalk board paint
- Chalk
- Paint brush
Directions
- Paint the wooden initial, let dry
- Write words that describe you on the front, sides, and back of the initial with the chalk
- Place on your bookshelf to keep your books straight and neat
Picture Book Review
celebratepicturebooks.com 