Dino Pets

Illustrations © Gideon Kendall

Dino Pets

by Lynn Plourde Illustrated by Gideon Kendall Dutton Children's Books, 2007

I got a dino
for a pet,
the BIGGEST dino
I could get.

It didn't fit
through the door.
So I had to
try once more.

But then the fastest dino runs way. And the dino with the longest tail starts to wail. Something also goes wrong with the softest dino, and the smallest dino, and the scariest dino too. What will happen when there are no more dinos left at the Dino Pet Shop? Siiiiiigh! Grooooooan! The boy's alone. Or is he? In addition to the fanciful fiction story, this book includes nonfiction dino-facts in the back--telling what really were the biggest, fastest, scariest dinos and more!

Honors

Pick of the Decade 2000-2010, The Best Books for Children Grades K-2
Woodbridge (NJ) Public Library

Reviews

"Dinosaur lovers' imaginations soar with this inventive flight of fancy from Plourde. A very lucky little boy just happens to have a Dino Pets store in his town . . . and parents willing to own a dinosaur . . . The rhyming text and Kendall's wonderfully creative illustrations will keep young readers riveted, while even the most avid dinosaur fans will likely learn something new, as very few of these are commonly known. The final pages name the dinosaurs featured in the text, with the caveat that paleontologists learn more each day and the longest, softest, etc. may change in the future. A great one to pair with Bernard Most's work, dinosaur fans will revel in the possibilities."
Kirkus

"A great read aloud for beginning readers. The book is predictable and makes a great use of rhymes. The illustrator Gideon Kendall did a great job conveying the size of dinosaurs while at the same time making them seem very friendly."
Kaylee's Education Studio

"The highlight of the tale is the skillfully rendered and entertaining double-page artwork, which is similar in tone and appearance to Mark Teague's illustrations in Jane Yolen's "How Do Dinosaurs" books . . . (T)he subject matter and humorous art will appeal to children."
School Library Journal