DINOSAURS?!

Loaded with appeal for confirmed young fans, this import surrounds thick-lined, grainy, colored cartoon portraits of 14 dinosaurs with an awed audience of modern dino-descendants—which is to say, chickens. Separated by artful placement on each spread, the commentary (which is delivered by an excited hen) comes on three levels: a short headline (“DINOSAURS LAID EGGS, JUST LIKE CHICKENS!”); a basic introduction to each dino’s individual features and habits; and a block of additional detail or background information. The picture gallery closes with a charted family tree, and the ongoing tide of snarky side comments from the peanut gallery (“If this one looks anything like me, I’m going to get a new face!”) culminates in a hatchling’s proud proclamation, “From now on my name is Chickesaurus Rex!” From now on human visitors to the henhouse had better watch their step. (Informational picture book. 6-8)