#278 – Are Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? by Julie Middleton

By SMorris/KidLitReviews

Are the Dinosaurs Dead Dad front cover.9.6.12.jpgPeachtree Book Tour

Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad?

by Julie Middleton

Russell Ayto, illustrator

Peachtree Publishers

5 Stars

Inside Jacket: Dad takes Dave to the museum to see the DINOSAURS.  Dad is sure he knows all there is to know about these amazing creatures.  But soon Dave gets the feeling that Dad has one hugely important fact very, very wrong . . .

Copyright ©2013 by Peachtree Publishers, used with permission

Dave and his dad take a trip to the museum to see the dinosaur exhibit.  On the way, Dave wants to know if all the dinosaurs are dead. Dad explains that dinosaurs have been gone a long time.  In the museum, Dad lets his son know about each dinosaur they approach.  He is full of facts about each one.

“Now Dave,” explained Dad, “this handsome fellow is the Ankylosaurus.  Look at the fabulous armor plating and bony eyelids.”

“Oh,” said Dave.  “It’s winking at me, Dad!”

“Ankylosaurus don’t wink, Dave,” said Dad.  “It’s just your imagination.”

Dave must have a wildly realistic imagination because I saw the Ankylosaurus wink at Dave.  Honest, I did.  The two move on to the Deinocheirus and its long arms and fingers, fingers that tickle young imaginative boys when dads walk ahead of them.

“It’s just your imagination.”

With each new dinosaur, Dave and his imagination continue to get attention from the dinosaurs.  Finally, at the very last exhibit, Dad tells Dave what he knows about the Tyrannosaurus Rex.  What happens next just might have Dad wondering if dinosaurs are dead.

Dinos2

This is a good book for young dinosaur lovers.  Not only is there a funny story between Dave and Dad, but there is good information about each dinosaur in the book, along with a pronunciation key.

Dad is the oblivious adult who no longer has time for imagination.  He sees the facts.  When his son tells him the dinosaur has done something, such as wink at him, Dad brushes it off as childhood imagination.  If he had not done that, I wonder if the ending would have been less dramatic for Dad.

I think this is a good bedtime/nap book.  There are many opportunities for adults to immerse themselves into the story, taking the part of the once-dead-now-alive dinosaurs.  Of course, the giggles might make it a little difficult for sleep to arrive.

At first look, this seems to be great for boys—and it is—yet girls will also like Are Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? The illustrations are terrific with interesting dinosaurs, color from edge-to-edge, and little details,  such as a sign saying “mind the tail,” or the dinosaur graph with various dinosaurs in odd positions, some with a tongue hanging out.

dinodadDad and Dave are the only people in each exhibit and they are tiny compared to the massive girths of each dinosaur.  Many of the dinosaurs stretch out across the spread when Dad obliviously walks off to the next exhibit.  Adding more character, each dinosaur is fleshed out with imaginative features, rather than the usual skeletal presentation. Mr. Ayto also illustrated the equally whimsical Where Teddy Bears Come From.

I think kids will find Are Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? informative and extremely funny.  When asked, “Read it again?” parents will not mind obliging repeatedly.  This is Julie Middleton’s first picture book.

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Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad?

by Julie Middleton    website
Russell Ayto, illustrator     wikipage
Peachtree Publishers     website    blog
Released March 2013
ISBN:  978-1-56145-690-1
32 pages
Ages 4 to 8
Copyright ©2013 by Peachtree Publishers, used with permission
Text: copyright © 2013 by Julie Middleton
Illustrations: copyright © 2013 by Russell Ayto

DONATED TO LOCAL LIBRARY

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17 thoughts on “#278 – Are Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? by Julie Middleton”

  4. Nice to hear from you again! Glad you’re feeling better! I’ve been hearing a lot about this book lately. I really like the illustrations! It looks like a really cute book!Thanks!

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  6. I understand Dave completely. Dinosaurs are real and they do wink. It’s happened to me, too, on a museum trip. By the way, so are dragons real..Thanks to the author for bringing this very important fact to light. This book sounds great.

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    • Do dinosaurs and dragons interact when at the same museum, or do they stay species specific? I only ask because you seem to have a lot of experience with Stone Age creatures. 😀 The book is great!

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  7. Well, that’s rather ironic as far as book titles go – – I was beginning to wonder if we’d be seeing you again! And let me say that I am personally breathing a sigh of relief to see that you have posted something. I have been thinking about you every day hoping your health is improving. Ok, I know this has nothing to do with your post, so my comment on your post is … I desperately want to read this book to my children and pretend that I’m the oblivious adult! lol Seriously … nice to “see” you! xox

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    • Thank you for the well-wishes and daily thoughts. There was never a doubt that I’d be back, just when. The saga is not yet over though. I’ll know more by the end of the week. All I know now is that the replaced left hip is now infected. Until it is over – or April’s A-Z Challenge arrives – I am on an every other day schedule.

      You an oblivious adult? I’d like to see that myself. I’m sure your son will love this book. And you will enjoy reading it to him.

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      • I’m sorry to hear about your hip – that sounds very serious. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve send you info about the Hop. I linked you in last week and we covered your hostessing duties, so don’t worry. We can do the same this week. I can just choose one of your last posts. Do take care and I hope you are going to be ok. Hugs xx

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