Story Time with Sara: How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends? by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague

 

How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends?
written by Jane Yolen, Mark Teague
published by The Blue Sky Press, 2006

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Book Depository, Goodreads

Did I enjoy this book: This is a very sweet little board book we got for our one-year-old. I’d heard great things about the rest of the How Do Dinosaurs series, but I just hadn’t picked one up yet. When I saw this book, I thought I’d give it a shot and I wasn’t disappointed. While the content of how to play appropriately with friends is over the head of my one-year-old, he loves the fun rhyming words and the colorful pictures. I also enjoy the fact that each dinosaur has their actual name written underneath (so when big brother asks I can tell him what they’re called)! In fact, my three-year-old likes the book so much I think I’m going to have to find some of the regular (non-board book) stories from this series for him!

The only reason I didn’t give this book more stars is because the last page doesn’t rhyme. It feels to me like the authors just gave up, and that hurts my OCD. The rest of the rhymes are so cute and appropriate and the last page just says, “Good friend, Good friend, little dinosaur.” Lame. I spent most of my time reading this book trying to come up with a better ending . . .

The rest of the story is so cute and I enjoy it so much, and then I hit that last page and it totally lets me down . . . EVERY TIME! I realize I’m being totally neurotic, so I will give it 4 stars.

Would I recommend it: I would! This is a really precious little book, and it is a perfect bedtime read for our one-year-old. Pick it up and enjoy learning social skills from some dinosaurs! Unless you have a maladjustment to non-rhyming poetry (like me) you should be just fine!

About the book – from Goodreads:

The bestselling, award-winning team of Yolen and Teague present their fourth original dinosaur board book, a fun guide to friendship and playing nicely with others.

What if a dinosaur’s friends come to play?
Does he mope, does he pout if he can’t get his way?
Does he hide all his dump trucks, refusing to share?
Does he throw his friends’ coloring books up in the air?

Time and time again, children are told to “play nice.” This brilliantly illustrated board book is packed with rhymes that will teach children how. Mark Teague’s laugh-aloud illustrations, along with Jane Yolen’s playful text, will show children that “playing nice” can be easy and fun. Perfect for parents to read aloud with their children, this book is as humorous as it is instructive.