Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad?
by Julie Middleton; illustrated by Russell Ayto
32 pages; ages 4-8
Peachtree Publishers, 2013
When Dad takes Dave to the museum, Dave wants to know absolutely and for-surely whether the dinosaurs are dead. Because the armor-plated Ankylosaurus is winking at him, and the Deinocheirus is trying to tickle him with its long, long arms. And there's an Allosaurus with very sharp teeth.... "It's just your imagination," Dad says. These dinosaurs are dead. Really dead. So why is that one following them?
Theme: father and son; visiting a museum; dinosaur diversity
Why I love this book: because, really, when I was a kid visiting the museum, I always wondered what would happen if those huge dinosaur skeletons weren't really dead. And what they would look like with skin on. And whether I could run fast enough if one wanted my PB&J sandwich...
Things to do: Imagine dinosaurs! Draw, paint - oh the ways they could look if we use our imagination.
Head to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History where you can take a virtual tour of their dino exhibit, go on a dig, or find out just about anything you'd want to know about dinosaurs.
See how scientists view their work:
This review is 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 the publisher.
Museums are fun but also creepy places. I remember thinking a big dinosaur rib or leg bone would fall off on me! This sounds like a good book choice.
ReplyDeleteLove your choice, Sue. Great to share with a museum visit. I remember those towering dinosaurs and kept my distance. Great video.
ReplyDeleteThat virtual tour is cool. I LOVE natural history museums and so get the kids questions in this story!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun book.
ReplyDeleteThe best dinosaur museum (in my opinion) is the Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta Canada. I really hope that the dinosaurs in that museum are well and truly dead.
Sue...fantastic book! I still have a photo of my oldest son, age 3, standing in front of a HUGE dinosaur(well, I guess they are all pretty big)at a museum (of Natural History in NYC?). My husband had taken him there as a special treat...I was home with Jason's week-old baby brother.
ReplyDeleteThe video clip is cool...thanks for sharing this!