by George O'Connor
32 pages; ages 3-7
Candlewick Press, 2014
This book will engage you from the minute you open the cover... where you see a young girl gazing into a box labeled "Free Raptors". Who hasn't walked by a box of free (fill in the blank) and wanted to take one home?
Theme: friendship, pets
"If I had a raptor, I'd want to get her as a baby, when she's all teensy and tiny and funny and fluffy." The illustrations make you just want to go "awww-www" and look for something cuddly to scratch behind the ears.
What I like about this book: As the girl explains what she'll do with her pet raptor, it grows larger and larger. We learn that raptors like to bask in the sun and snuggle in the clean laundry. They sleep all day long and can be picky about their food. They like to pounce on things, too.
I also love the expressions George O'Connor gives the raptor - especially the "who me?" look some of us cat-owners know all too well.
Beyond the book: Unfortunately, O'Connor doesn't get into the downside of pet ownership. The pooper-scoopers and clawed furniture.... Which leaves lots of room for imagination.
Write a guide for how to raise your favorite dinosaur. In addition to the cute and cuddly things, add important info about the kind of kibble you need to feed it, how to brush its teeth, and best strategies for keeping it from leaping onto the table (or begging for food scraps during meals).
Head over to Archimedes Notebook today to learn more about dinosaurs and find some other activities. Today's review is also part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy provided by publisher.
A raptor as a pet! Yikes! I can think of all kinds of disasters that would be waiting to happen! I'm living with a Dogzilla these days and whew!!! This looks like a cute fun book with cute illustrations and a big heart. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLooks and sounds cute - and the expressions on the dino you describe sound perfect. Fun stuff!
ReplyDeleteThat's an unusual request for a pet -- a raptor? But, it must provide a lot of interesting information. Aren't they quite large? Sounds like there is a lot of imagination and humor in this story! Another great pick.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great concept.... sounds lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteLove the book, Sue! Great book to read to open a discussion about pets...especially ones that might be kept in a small apartment...too funny. :)
ReplyDeleteLooks adorable! Thanks for a great review!
ReplyDeleteOh my! You know I had to ask my hubby what a raptor is. He assumed it was a space vehicle of some sort. Neither of us knew it was this. lol. Makes for interesting reading. Thanks for sharing.
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