DINO-STORE STORYBOOK

A trip to the grocery store leads to a whimsical tale as a family struggles to find a home for a dozen baby dinosaurs.

At the store, Leo asks his dad to get an enormous box of eggs. When they get home, Leo and his dad are surprised to discover a dozen baby dinosaurs have hatched and are happily eating their groceries. Just what are Leo and his family to do when the baby dinosaurs take over their apartment? While dinosaurs running amok is nothing new to children’s books, this original story is pretty nifty. Loeffler’s (Zig and Wikki in Something Ate My Homework, 2010) illustrations are clear, expressive and warm. Young readers will giggle as they try to donate the baby dinosaurs to the museum, take them to school and finally return them to the store. The narration is exaggerated just enough to draw out the humor, emphasizing the playful side of this story. The visual layout includes clear, well-designed presentation of the text on the page, varying the print size and location, creating interest in the words for new readers. Interactive features, usually simple animations or silly sound effects, add to the humor and keep children engaged with the story.

Readers will undoubtedly want to find a basket full of these silly, helpful dinosaurs at their own supermarkets.