Children's Picture Books

How to Dinosaurs go to School?
Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: Mark Teague
Publisher: The Blue Sky Press
ISBN# 10:-0-439-02081-6


As I was looking through the Picture Book section at the public library, I didn't know what to choose. Picture books all look colorful, big and cute. I would want one though that has a great story and a learning lesson that goes along with those vivid pictures for my children or students. I had my 2 daughters go through the section and they came out with 5 picture books. They are too old for these books (9 and 12) but they still were eager to help and sat on the rug at the library looking at these books with great interest. This is a book they picked which I though was perfect.

I picked "How Do Dinosaus Go to School?" out because of the great story attached to the magically artistic drawings inside the book. I thought all children are intrigued by dinosaurs because of their history and their beauty. Dinosaurs can be scary but magical. The illustrations of different dinosaurs in different school settings was educational to children. It doesn't hurt to have a little science lesson thrown in a reading lesson. On the first page, the author has pictures and names of a variety of dinosaurs that are used in this book.

The story poses questions to the reader about the adventure a dinosaur may have if he or she went to school. What would happen because of his size? These questions are asked in the first half of the book of things that might go wrong. The second half though explains even though dinasaurs are big and loud, they too can be good students like everyone else by following the rules.

The repetition of questions and ryhming of words on each page make this an easy but fun book for children to follow. I would recommend this book to children who are between 4-7.

Happy reading!!!