Cobb and Castagno’s cute, colorful picture book illustrates the bond between a brother and sister.
Daniel Dinosaur has just turned 4, and his favorite pastime is playing hide-and-seek with his younger sister, Sue. One day, his parents ask him to watch her while they’re away, and he loses track of her. The book then follows Daniel as he looks for her in trees, pokes his head into a lake (where a friendly large-toothed fish lives) and even searches a volcano. Once Sue realizes she has scared her brother, she comes out of hiding and explains that she thought they were still playing. From then on, they stick even closer together, which is adorably portrayed in a cave painting of the two of them playing. This will be a good book for young siblings or for children who have a little brother or sister on the way. Danny and Sue play together and care about each other without being too sappy, and since their parents are absent for most of the book, the reader gets the sense that they can rely on each other. Danny’s search for Sue is humorous, and it’s rendered with lively drawings. The parents’ absence gives Danny his first taste of adult responsibility, but the drama of losing Sue is so brief that it shouldn’t be frightening, even to sensitive children. The light, whimsical drawings maintain a sense of fun. The dinosaurs, however, are a bit underdrawn; most kids love dinosaurs, can recognize different types and would likely appreciate more detail. However, that certainly doesn’t diminish the overall charm of the story.
A sweet story told in simple rhymes that young children would likely enjoy.
