[(Joe and the Dragonosaurus)] [By (author) Berlie Doherty ] published on

by Berlie Doherty

Joe's got allergies and can't have a pet, so when his class is set the task of writing about their guinea pigs or dogs or gerbils, Joe's stuck. So he makes up his own pet - a DRAGONOSAURUS.

Paperback

First published July 15, 2015

About the author

Berlie Doherty née Hollingsworth is an English novelist, poet, playwright and screenwriter. She is best known for children's books, for which she has twice won the Carnegie Medal.She has also written novels for adults, plays for theatre and radio, television series and libretti for children's opera.

Reviews

[Mathew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joe would love a pet, especially when there is a pet-project at school but because his mum is allergic animal hair he cannot have one. Instead, Joe is left to imagine one - a dragonosaurus! Yet on his way home, he sees an animal in distress and finds that he may have to care for a young animal after all.
Doherty writes well yet sparsely (since this in an early reader text) but when the 'real' story takes place, the Dragonosaurus is no longer required or even part of the plot. Added to this, Moor's illustrations were fine at first but frequently I found that images were just copied and pasted throughout. Poor production.

[Oksana Osinienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book really touched me. It’s a gentle and imaginative story about a boy named Joe who doesn’t have a pet and feels left out when his classmates talk about theirs. Instead of giving up, he creates his own magical creature — a dragonosaurus. I loved how the story shows the power of imagination and kindness.

Joe’s fantasy world helps him deal with real feelings — loneliness, curiosity, and compassion — and when he finally helps real animals, it’s such a heartwarming moment. The story is simple but full of meaning, showing that caring doesn’t always start with something real; sometimes it begins in our thoughts.

I think this book is perfect for children like Amelia — it encourages creativity, empathy, and courage to act kindly in real life. And for adults, it’s a lovely reminder that imagination can heal and inspire just as much as reality.

[Cadie Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute!

[S · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I understand the sentiment, at the end of the story I am left with the feeling that the author is anti-imagination - which I think is not a good message.

[T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read.I enjoyed it.Not going to spoil somce not many people have left a review yet but I liked Moon a lot.I would recommend this book.