Dinos plow, fertilize, harvest, herd, pick, pull, pack, and build on the farm. Read full book review >

A dino yo ho ho and away we go! Read full book review >

Dale continues to put dinos in situations sure to attract preschoolers' attention. Read full book review >

Dale does for rescue vehicles what she did for an array of cars and trucks in Dinosaur Zoom! (2013)—namely, sends them racing toward a rendezvous with jewel-toned dinos in their drivers' seats. Read full book review >

This gleeful mashup of dinosaurs and things-that-go will surely rev up some noisy participation when it is read aloud. Read full book review >

Take the "Wheels on the Bus" tune, throw in a slew of extra verses, add pencil-and-watercolor illustrations and you have Dale's welcome reworking of the sometimes-too-familiar song. A young boy drives the big red vehicle, whose sign reads "SPECIAL," through the verdant countryside. Different animals board the bus one by one, and their sounds form the heart of most verses ("The ducks on the bus go "Quack! Quack! Quack!"). Once it looks like the bus can't get any more crowded, it pulls up to a huge and varied flock of sheep. Where can they ride? On the roof, of course. The boy helps them climb up, then drives out of sight, the bus surrounded by all the words for the animal sounds. Dale's soft-focus pictures are spot-on for her young audience, who'll love to sing along. (Picture book. 2-6)Read full book review >

Six self-contained chapters illustrate the strong friendship between nursery-school-aged Jamie and his stuffed Highland bull, Angus. Jamie hides his favorite toy from a bouncy friend, practices drawing and painting, develops an elaborate let's-pretend game involving all the different traditional tales he's heard, goes for a family walk in the country, rearranges his books and contemplates playing on his own. The much-loved British author captures small boyhood perfectly, showing Jamie enjoying both the rough and noisy play with his mother's friend's daughter and the quiet pleasure of an occasional drink at the blue border of the carpet as he and Angus pretend to be horses. This gentle sequel to the award-winning Jamie and Angus Stories (2002) will include pencil drawings by the same illustrator. With language suitable for good second-grade readers as well as a younger audience, these stories can stand on their own or lead readers and listeners back to the first volume. (Fiction. 5-7)Read full book review >

Jamie sees Angus in a shop window and decides that they belong together. For Angus's "silky coat looked smooth as bath water and white as snow." His mother buys Angus and puts him away until Christmas. While waiting for the big day, Jamie prepares a sheep farm for Angus from fabric scraps, Popsicle sticks, and other found materials. From Christmas on, they are inseparable friends, through thick and thin—and washing machine disasters. What an idyllic family. Jamie's parents are patient and understanding, his teenaged Uncle Edward seems to enjoy his company, and everyone accepts the importance of Angus in Jamie's life. Jamie is a thoroughly delightful child, whose mischief is mild and whose imagination is lively. Each story begins with a title, illustration, and intriguing opening sentences. Dale's (Night Night, Cuddly Bear, not reviewed, etc.) pen-and-ink drawings are just right as they highlight the action and the abounding love surrounding the pair. These stories would be ideal to read aloud to young children. Fine (Up on Cloud Nine, p. 732, etc.) is a well-known British author (the current Children's Laureate) and this work, British in tone and syntax, is a style that should become more familiar to American readers. There is gentleness here in language and emotion that, sadly, is rare in modern American works. A jolly experience. (Fiction. 5-7)Read full book review >

Bedtime turns into a gleeful game of hide-and-seek in this romp from Dale (Ten Out of Bed, 1994). All settled in but not quite settled down, a boy suggests one final game be played before bed. His nine stuffed companions cooperate with alacrity and hide while "little one" counts to ten. Then the fun begins as bedroom and kitchen are diligently searched for those hiding. With loud exclamations of "BOO!" every time someone is found, the child locates each friend and enlists its help for the rest of the hunt. Dale's softly colored, intricate illustrations provide subtle clues to the animals' hiding places, offering children the opportunity to search along with the boy. When even the tiniest of the friends has been found, each animal is tucked in with a tender good-night. This gently reassuring tale is ideal for reading aloud, sending sleepyheads off with a little merriment and a lot of care. (Picture book. 2-5) Read full book review >

A bedtime fantasy about a tousled little boy, dressed in red sleepers, and the nine stuffed animals who play imaginative games with him (``TRAINS!'' ``PIRATES!'' ``GHOSTS!'') until, one by one, they fall asleep. Like ``Ten in a Bed,'' the story provides a good exercise in reverse counting and prediction for preschoolers. The author's whimsical colored-pencil-and-watercolor art is filled with humorous details: a rabbit eating a carrot sandwich; a scene (``Let's play ACTING!'') from The Nutcracker, with a crocodile in the title role; or, on the pirate ship, a sheep-and-crossbones flag. (Picture book. 3-5) Read full book review >