DINOSAUR ROCKET!

Dale continues to put dinos in situations sure to attract preschoolers’ attention.

The dinos have driven, rescued, dug, and built, and now they are blasting off into space. Young readers join them as they ride the bus to the launch pad, climb up to the rocket, board, and start the countdown. Once on the moon, they whizz around on their dinosaur buggies, plant and pose with their flag, play some soccer, and gaze at the Earth. A splashdown and aircraft carrier–based retrieval round out the adventure, though readers can extend the fun by identifying the dinos and the vehicles labeled on the endpapers. Dale gives children plenty of opportunity to participate in “reading” the book with her patterned text that repeats phrases: “Dinosaur rocket roaring. / Roaring and thundering into space. / Into space, zooming faster and faster! / Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!” Dale’s watercolor-and-pencil illustrations are meticulously detailed, from the cockpit controls and the look of Earth from space to the dinos themselves.

Combining the popular topics of space and dinosaurs is a surefire recipe for a storytime hit.