Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur
What It Is
What do you do when you meet a dinosaur at the supermarket? This newer title is a sweet fantasy about a polite little girl who meets an equally polite dinosaur at her neighborhood grocery store. The narrative offers scenarios in which simple good manners are required, and asks readers to provide the appropriate response. For example, the little girl bumps into the dinosaur with her cart. What should she say? “I’m sorry,” of course, is the correct response. The story continues in the same fashion until the two part ways with a polite “Goodbye. It was nice to meet you.”
Why It’s Fun
As we hustle and bustle to try to accomplish our daily list of to-do’s, errands and activities, manners are something easily taken for granted and quite simply, skipped. Parents of toddlers and preschoolers place great emphasis on teaching their little ones’ manners, but as kids grow, we often let important reminders of manners go with the thought “you should know better.” I’m guilty of this myself, but the fact is, kids can feel shy and often need reminders (and sadly, so do some adults). This is a sweet back-to-basics story about manners from the author of ZooZical, a book we love and reviewed earlier this year. The fabulous illustrations are from another children’s lit favorite, Tim Bowers, who’s works appear in silly stories such as Princess Pig. Bowers’ pictures are wacky, silly and can make children forget that they are being “taught” a lesson.
Who’s Going To Love It
By age four, most children have likely listened to a book with manners as the theme, so this probably isn’t their “first” book as the title implies. However, it can be a very effective story and would be great at home or in the classroom. The short length and hilarious illustrations would appeal to a child even younger than the publisher’s recommended age range, making it a great addition for a home library.
Reading Time
About 2 minutes
Read-It-Again Points
8 out of 10
Book Information
SUPPOSE YOU MEET A DINOSAUR: A FIRST BOOK OF MANNERS
Written by: Judy Sierra; Illustrated by Tim Bowers
Published by: Alfred A. Knopf (2012)
Approximate retail price: $16.99 (hardcover only)
Publishers recommended age range: 4 and up
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