Ruth Tepper Brown

Stickers, Dinosaurs... and did I mention Stickers!

[My kids loved/fought over this book.]

It's targeted at elementary ages but I don't see why younger dinosaur lovers couldn't use it as an activity book. The information that is provided about the dinos is basic but good. For the Ankylosaurus, for example, you have two pages with two great drawings and other graphics.

The first page starts with a paragraph about the Ankylosaurs and a picture of them in their 'natural environment'. The paragraph talks about their size but the authors also know that one thing that everyone wants to know is how they rate in the eat-or-be-eaten prehistoric scheme of things. This book tells you that meat-eaters beware!

Below that information are easy to understand mini-facts. The meaning of Ankylosaurus is defined. What they eat is talked about as well as when they lived and how much they weighed. As a child, myself, who loved dinosaurs excessively I can appreciate how well the information is presented. To help readers understand relative weights the Smithsonian people use little black weight symbols. This graphic representation is much easier to grasp and remember -- versus the mere recitation if how many thousands of pounds this one and that one weighed.

On the opposite page there's a drawing of the beast with some pieces missing. Kids need to hunt down the stickers that will complete their dino.

Around the drawing on the second page are text bubbles with more information. Here's a sample so you can judge the reading level:

The top of the body was covered
in hard, bony plates that protected
against predators -- especially
Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The stickers are fairly sticky by the way, but lots of fun. The other thing that comes with this book set is a diorama sort of thingie with extra-special dimensional stickers. I actually took that and put it on the wall as a decoration, much to their dismay. But it was cute.

WHAT I REALLY THINK ~ Really nice package for young dino lovers. The material should appeal to a wide age range. There are stickers moms. I know some of us feel about stickers.

I do think this might be a really good car activity but I haven't actually tried that. Gift worthy.

~review sample**… (plus d'informations)