(amazon)
Bibliographical Information
Florian, Douglas. 2009. Ill. by Douglas Florian. New York, NY: Antheneum books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-4169-79784
Plot and Critical Analysis
A poetically creative way to teach about dinosaurs from their beginnings, their traits and appearances, to even question their extinction. It takes on a chant like rhythm even phonetically spelling out dinosaur names so that the reader can both pronounce the word and continue the rhythm. In addition to the rhythm are the rhymes at the end of each line, grouping varies between two lines and three lines. Each dinosaurs rhyming description also varies among very brief 4 word sentences to lengthier sentences and rhyming adjectives. More than just cute non informative rhymes, the text actually teaches about dinosaurs including herbivore definition, measurements, and which dinosaurs were smarter than others. In rhyme, it offers witty puns and even dinosaur self acceptance.
The illustrations range from sketches, to collages and stencils. Some pictures are comical accenting the gender of the dinosaur while others focus on elements such as the long neck or pointy spikes. Cleverly, being a thesaurus, there are letters incorporated into all of the drawings and sometimes text from dictionaries. Text and illustrations together create a vivid image on each page providing the reader with a different take because one is focused more on the rhyming than the fact it is a non fiction book and one is learning. However, one is focused more on the humor and illustrations than the fact they are learning while reading this book (I have already suggested it to all my dino-loving friends with small children).
There is a glossary at the end offering straight forward facts on the topic of each page whether it's a dinosaur type or a topic, such as the end of dinosaurs. This is a modern take on poetry, with humorous rhymes or images on each page. I would say this is appealing both to the reader and to the listener
Reviews
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review,
Florian's free-flowing, witty collection of poems and collages about dinosaurs is a giganotosaurus delight—perhaps his best work ever. The poems marry facts with a poet's eye for detail: the Brachiosaurus was “longer than a tennis court” and the Ankylosaurus says, “We like spikes and we like scutes/ (Bony plates we wear as suits).” Small experts will appreciate the “Glossarysaurus” at the end, but the heart of the book is in its humor, the spontaneity of both illustrations and poems, and Florian's slightly askew view of the Mesozoic creatures. A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton spews cutout images of things a T. rex might actually have eaten, along with a tumble of other things (newspaper clippings, a boot, a building), while the text ends with a great pun (“I find it terrific/ That it's T-rex-tinct”). The tiny (20-inch) Micropachycephalosaurus stares up at a huge display of his enormous name spelled out phonetically, in illuminated caps and as a rhombus. Art and text will encourage aspiring paleontologists and poets to parse these pages again and again. Ages 6–up. (Mar.) --Staff (Reviewed January 19, 2009) (Publishers Weekly, vol 256, issue 3, p60)
Kirkus Reviews
In the fine tradition of Jack Prelutsky's Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast, illustrated by Arnold Lobel (1988), a set of dinophile-pleasing verses penned by a poet with a rare knack for wordplay and silly rhymes finds apt visual setting fronting playful images of monsters rearing up from extinction to grin toothily at young viewers. Sandwiched between poems about the Age of Dinosaurs and its sudden end, Florian parades 18 creatures, from Pterosaurs ("They were not ptame. / They were ptenacious— / From the Ptriassic / Pto the Cretaceous.") to T. Rex, then closes with an informative "Glossarysaurus," plus museum and source lists. Spectacularly depicted (as is his frequent custom) on paper bags in crayon and collage, the poet's dinos are easily recognizable despite being freely rendered and, often, semitransparent. Collage elements add to the visual excitement, often to great effect—a skeletal, iPod-sporting T. Rex prepares to chow down on a heap of cut-out dinosaur bits—and always with enormous playfulness. Children fixated on explicit gore may be left unmoved, but to everyone else this will be a dino-delight—especially when read aloud. (Picture book/poetry. 5-10) (Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2009)
Connections
As this book is intended for younger children, one could focus on the basic lesson of rhyming words. Not every rhyme in this book is poetic masterpiece, but they are fun and show how words sound alike. Children could create a poem about their favorite animal and focus on the daily habits of the animal or behaviors. I also think this provides an early example of how to create art using one than more tool - for instance, collaging and drawing together. There is another element to this book based on its illustrations.
Similar Readings
First Dinosaur Encyclopedia (Caroline Bingham)- also focuses on basic dinosaur facts
Dinosaur Bones (Bob Barner) - teaches about dinosaurs and uses a "dinometere" to compare measurements
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