RUMBLE, ROAR, DINOSAUR!

The team of Mitton and Chapman present dinosaur lovers with another collection of poems (Gnash, Gnaw, Dinosaur!, 2009). This one features a new cast of seven species and mixes a few facts about each with some outright fun. Deinosuchus, a giant ancestor of the crocodile, warns, “When I give a cheery grin, I may seem kind and happy, / but look out for my jagged jaws—they’re seriously… / snappy!” (this last is revealed when a flap is lifted). Other featured species include Compsognathus, Elasmosaurus, Stegosaurus, Hadrosaur, Archaeopteryx and Ankylosaurus. The author chooses a good blend of the popular and lesser-known dinos, as well as representatives from a variety of habitats. The scansion works, and the word choices nicely suit the target audience. The illustrator’s dinosaurs are brimming with personality (and a bit of artistic license), their faces adorned with eyebrows and eyelashes. The short length of the poems, humorous illustration and, of course, those ever-popular flaps all combine to make this a sure hit…but beware—exposure to these poems could transform children into Againosauruses. (Picture book/poetry. 3-6)