Detective Dinosaur, showcased in his third entry in the I Can Read! series, is the same charming numbskull readers have come to love. This book is broken up into three chapters, each of which is a “case” for the detective to solve. In the first caper, when Detective Dinosaur is called in to do some undercover work, the real mystery is his interpretation of "undercover." In the second, the dinosaur has a nightmare--er, napmare--and wakes up to find mysterious large blobs at the end of his blanket-covered legs. The third mystery takes the sleuth on an outing during which he tries to deduce why the sun is shining brightly even though he keeps getting soaked. Enhancing the narrative is a cast of funky characters, such as Ricky Raptor and Cadet Kitty, illustrated in bright cavorting watercolors. Readers will smirk at being smarter than the detective and giggle at his goof-ups. With a pronunciation guide for those tongue-twisting dinosaur names, this accessible and super-silly romp will be a boost for those about to embark on the next level for chapter books. (Early reader. 4-7)
