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Dinosaur Pirates!
"Rousing dino adventure with enough tooth-to-claw fighting for an exciting climax." — Kirkus Reviews
Our intrepid team of dinosaurs is back, but this time they are pirates in search of buried treasure! Having navigated their way to a desert island and dug up their booty, they are just sailing away when they are ambushed by a fearsome band of marauding baddy-pirates! Will our goody-pirates save their gold, their ship, and their honor, or will the baddies win out?
Our intrepid team of dinosaurs is back, but this time they are pirates in search of buried treasure! Having navigated their way to a desert island and dug up their booty, they are just sailing away when they are ambushed by a fearsome band of marauding baddy-pirates! Will our goody-pirates save their gold, their ship, and their honor, or will the baddies win out?
32 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2016
1 person is currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Penny Dale
56 books24 followersPenny Dale was born in Abbey Road near The Beatles' Studio, but grew up in Ottery St Mary. Her first school was so small that all the children were in one classroom, and even that wasn't full. She drew and made things all the time and her dad showed her how to use a hammer properly, something she's still proud of. She made plasticine models of everything she could think of. When Penny was very small, she found her parents' folios from a time when they both went to life drawing classes in London. She remembers being immensely impressed by their drawing, and even though she was very young, she knew she wanted to draw like that one day. At her junior school she was encouraged to draw pictures to complement written work, and this she loved, though this was not encouraged later on at secondary school, which she found disappointing. However, she still managed to illustrate work in some subjects, like Science (lively diagrams), Geography (coloured-in maps) and even made a lift-the-flap Norman Castle in History.
After secondary school, Penny took a Foundation Course at Bristol, then took a gap year to work with the Arts Workshop in Bath, making props and costumes, acting, and counting the takings on foreign tours. Later she did a Fine Art Degree at Exeter, where she met her husband Bryan. After college she began working for a time at the Northcott Theatre, designing and making costumes and props again, before she and her husband moved to Northumberland to work on renewable energy projects and graphic design. Their daughter Sarah was born in Hexham, and a friendship developed with an artist she met at childbirth classes, which led to shared daughter-minding, making time for painting, drawing and print making. A year later Penny moved down to South Wales, where Bryan took up a lecturing post in design. It was there that she started to write and illustrate children's books.
Today Penny is one of the UK's leading illustrators of children's books. Her books have met with great success: BET YOU CAN'T and ONCE THERE WERE GIANTS were included in the UK SATS booklist for many years. WAKE UP MR B! was commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal 1988. ROSIE'S BABIES (written by Martin Waddell) won the Best Book for Babies award and was also shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1990. NIGHT NIGHT CUDDLY BEAR (also written by Martin Waddell) and TEN IN THE BED both won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award in 2001 and 2002 respectively. JAMIE AND ANGUS (written by Anne Fine) won the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award in 2003. Penny has sold over three million books worldwide and has been published in over twenty languages. Her most recent work includes PRINCESS, PRINCESS, as well as THE BOY ON THE BUS and JAMIE AND ANGUS TOGETHER.
After secondary school, Penny took a Foundation Course at Bristol, then took a gap year to work with the Arts Workshop in Bath, making props and costumes, acting, and counting the takings on foreign tours. Later she did a Fine Art Degree at Exeter, where she met her husband Bryan. After college she began working for a time at the Northcott Theatre, designing and making costumes and props again, before she and her husband moved to Northumberland to work on renewable energy projects and graphic design. Their daughter Sarah was born in Hexham, and a friendship developed with an artist she met at childbirth classes, which led to shared daughter-minding, making time for painting, drawing and print making. A year later Penny moved down to South Wales, where Bryan took up a lecturing post in design. It was there that she started to write and illustrate children's books.
Today Penny is one of the UK's leading illustrators of children's books. Her books have met with great success: BET YOU CAN'T and ONCE THERE WERE GIANTS were included in the UK SATS booklist for many years. WAKE UP MR B! was commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal 1988. ROSIE'S BABIES (written by Martin Waddell) won the Best Book for Babies award and was also shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1990. NIGHT NIGHT CUDDLY BEAR (also written by Martin Waddell) and TEN IN THE BED both won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award in 2001 and 2002 respectively. JAMIE AND ANGUS (written by Anne Fine) won the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award in 2003. Penny has sold over three million books worldwide and has been published in over twenty languages. Her most recent work includes PRINCESS, PRINCESS, as well as THE BOY ON THE BUS and JAMIE AND ANGUS TOGETHER.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 30, 2017
If only there were some way to combine two highly marketable picture book genres and make LOTS of money. It will be well loved by the devoted fans of pirates and/or dinosaurs, but this is by no means an example of the pinnacle of children's picture books.
April 25, 2018
Story is about...dinosaur pirates. Odd rhythm & repetition within phrases on pages (ex. "Captain dinosaur planning. Planning the secret journey. The secret journey to the distant island.") Colorful illustrations.
June 8, 2017
I read this during one of my preschool storytimes. One little boy liked it so much that his mom asked for it afterward.
June 16, 2017
This was PERFECT for storytime, even for a variety of ages! Super easy to make it interactive, and appropriate for toddlers and up.
April 16, 2019
The dinosaur pirates sail across the sea in their pirate ship along their secret pirate journey. They work hard and sleep in their hammocks, row to the island, dig all day for their pirate treasure chest, fight robber dinosaurs, win a dinosaur battle, then open their pirate dinosaur treasure chest.
I thought the book was cute, but it is definitely not the best I have ever read. It has a weird rhythm and constantly reminds you that they are pirate dinosaurs. I get that they are pirate dinosaurs, I don't need to be reminded every two seconds, though you do since I wrote my summary that way. I do, however, like to see dinosaurs dressed as pirates, so the pictures are actually pretty cute. Overall, not a terrible book, I just love it.
I could use this book to appeal to the boys in my classroom who like pirates and dinosaurs. I could also use this book to take my students on a classroom adventure. We can go on a scavenger hunt for a special treat. In doing so we can dress up as either dinosaurs or pirates. I can make the clues whatever math problems we are working on in class and have them solve the problems to find the clues that will lead to the lost treasure. Then the students could enjoy whatever the treasure may be.
I thought the book was cute, but it is definitely not the best I have ever read. It has a weird rhythm and constantly reminds you that they are pirate dinosaurs. I get that they are pirate dinosaurs, I don't need to be reminded every two seconds, though you do since I wrote my summary that way. I do, however, like to see dinosaurs dressed as pirates, so the pictures are actually pretty cute. Overall, not a terrible book, I just love it.
I could use this book to appeal to the boys in my classroom who like pirates and dinosaurs. I could also use this book to take my students on a classroom adventure. We can go on a scavenger hunt for a special treat. In doing so we can dress up as either dinosaurs or pirates. I can make the clues whatever math problems we are working on in class and have them solve the problems to find the clues that will lead to the lost treasure. Then the students could enjoy whatever the treasure may be.
February 4, 2022
Dinosaur Pirates! looked like an exciting read but it was anything but that! I was reading this with one of the biggest dinosaur fans and even she wasn't impressed.
The story is about a group of dinosaur pirates who are looking for treasure and try to keep it safe. I didn't enjoy the story and found it so boring to read. It's written in a way that makes it seem as if it's written for babies and doesn't always flow well to read either.
The children liked seeing the dinosaur pirates in the illustrations as they're pretty unique but not enough to keep their attention for the whole book and the pages didn't seem that different, a lot of the illustrations all looked very much the same.
There are repeated phrases that the children usually enjoy participating in repeating but with the odd writing style they just feel out of place. This could have been a nice idea for a story with a unique topic but we didn't enjoy this book much at all.
The story is about a group of dinosaur pirates who are looking for treasure and try to keep it safe. I didn't enjoy the story and found it so boring to read. It's written in a way that makes it seem as if it's written for babies and doesn't always flow well to read either.
The children liked seeing the dinosaur pirates in the illustrations as they're pretty unique but not enough to keep their attention for the whole book and the pages didn't seem that different, a lot of the illustrations all looked very much the same.
There are repeated phrases that the children usually enjoy participating in repeating but with the odd writing style they just feel out of place. This could have been a nice idea for a story with a unique topic but we didn't enjoy this book much at all.
July 13, 2018
Our intrepid team of dinosaurs is back, but this time they are pirates in search of buried treasure! Having navigated their way to a desert island and dug up their booty, they are just sailing away when they are ambushed by a fearsome band of marauding baddy-pirates! Will our goody-pirates save their gold, their ship, and their honor, or will the baddies win out?
Personal note: I personally like the font in this book.
Subject: Pirates -- Juvenile fiction.
Dinosaurs -- Juvenile fiction.
Treasure troves -- Juvenile fiction.
Islands -- Fiction.
Pirates -- Fiction.
Dinosaurs -- Fiction.
Buried treasure -- Fiction.
Notes
Penny Dale is an internationally known best-selling children's book artist and author and has sold more than five million books, with editions in more than twenty languages. She is married and has one adult daughter and a small grandson. She lives in England.
Personal note: I personally like the font in this book.
Subject: Pirates -- Juvenile fiction.
Dinosaurs -- Juvenile fiction.
Treasure troves -- Juvenile fiction.
Islands -- Fiction.
Pirates -- Fiction.
Dinosaurs -- Fiction.
Buried treasure -- Fiction.
Notes
Penny Dale is an internationally known best-selling children's book artist and author and has sold more than five million books, with editions in more than twenty languages. She is married and has one adult daughter and a small grandson. She lives in England.
June 5, 2017
So the “honorable” pirates have dug up the treasure and are headed back when they attacked by the a band of marauding pirates. Will they beat them off or get captured? Read on matey!
If you have pirate lovers as well as dinosaur lovers, then this book is for you! Large, sparse print and bright colorful watercolor illustrations give this book an appeal that will have youngsters enthralled. This would lend itself well to a read-aloud session. The repetitive pirate words are great for participation and the humorous illustrations are well-paired. Recommended for grades Pre-K through 2.
If you have pirate lovers as well as dinosaur lovers, then this book is for you! Large, sparse print and bright colorful watercolor illustrations give this book an appeal that will have youngsters enthralled. This would lend itself well to a read-aloud session. The repetitive pirate words are great for participation and the humorous illustrations are well-paired. Recommended for grades Pre-K through 2.
August 3, 2017
Reviewed by Josh Harrison for San Diego Book Review
The aptly titled /Dinosaur Pirates/ by Penny Dale features (surprise, surprise) saurian scallywags sailing the seven seas. The story, while not told in rhyme, has repeating phrases that lend it a lyrical quality. The big buccaneers dig up buried treasure (as all pirates should). Then they are menaced by a shipload of rapacious raptor reavers led by a spinosaurus.
You can read this entire review and others like it at San Diego Book Review.
The aptly titled /Dinosaur Pirates/ by Penny Dale features (surprise, surprise) saurian scallywags sailing the seven seas. The story, while not told in rhyme, has repeating phrases that lend it a lyrical quality. The big buccaneers dig up buried treasure (as all pirates should). Then they are menaced by a shipload of rapacious raptor reavers led by a spinosaurus.
You can read this entire review and others like it at San Diego Book Review.
June 22, 2017
An interesting mash-up of two very different categories, dinosaurs and pirates. Now I'm trying to imagine how big a ship would have to be to actually be piloted by dinosaurs. They certainly make for awkward pirates.
The rhythm of the words makes the book very readable and fun. I liked the overlap/repetition of the sentences -- the last word(s) of the previous sentence begin the subsequent sentence. Great for emerging readers!
The rhythm of the words makes the book very readable and fun. I liked the overlap/repetition of the sentences -- the last word(s) of the previous sentence begin the subsequent sentence. Great for emerging readers!
January 26, 2022
This book by Penny Dale is about dinosaurs who are pirates on their way to find a secret treasure. After finding the treasure, they are attacked by raptors trying to steal their treasure. The dinosaur pirates fight the raptors off and celebrate with their treasure.
I loved this story. The illustrations were very interesting. I would recommend this book to a student who liked pirates or dinosaurs. It would encourage them to read.
I loved this story. The illustrations were very interesting. I would recommend this book to a student who liked pirates or dinosaurs. It would encourage them to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2026
Jack borrowed this book from the library. I picked it because he loves dinosaurs and suddenly pirates. He has been enjoying talking like a pirate and calling me pirate mama and digging for treasure in his bubble bath.
At first, he didn’t want to read this book. But once he realized the content, he started to get into it. He loved the treasure and the pirate ship battle and my silly voices.
At first, he didn’t want to read this book. But once he realized the content, he started to get into it. He loved the treasure and the pirate ship battle and my silly voices.
July 27, 2017
For all the possibility of combing dinosaurs and pirates, this book was a bit meh. I think it was meant to by kind of a rhyming, repeating sort of thing, but it just never worked. Pirates go in search of treasure, they get attacked by other dinosaur pirates.
Illustrations are good, thus 3 stars.
Illustrations are good, thus 3 stars.
August 14, 2021
Pirate dinosaurs? Seems like the perfect combination.
The art is so detailed, I was hoping for more from the story. But it's about the level of Go Dog Go. But my daughter enjoyed turning it into a song.
The art is so detailed, I was hoping for more from the story. But it's about the level of Go Dog Go. But my daughter enjoyed turning it into a song.
May 9, 2017
This would be a great call and response/participatory book for storytimes. Dinosaurs sail on the seas, look for treasure and thwart another band of raptor pirates who want to take their loot.
June 16, 2017
For future smash up players.
June 19, 2017
Fun and active illustrations enhance the story composed primarily of cleverly repeated phrases and onomatopoeia.
August 15, 2017
Art is fabulous, kids would enjoy the noses, the text is not that exciting otherwise.
September 18, 2017
Dinosaurs and pirates, sure to please kids.
September 11, 2017
If you like dinos and pirates, this book is for you!
October 30, 2017
I read this book to a group of children during my placement! They LOVED hearing the long dinosaurs names and each child had their very own dinosaur name by the end of the book!
January 6, 2018
All of my dreams of having a Dinosaur Pirate storytime have just come true! I'm super excited!!!
January 8, 2018
It's no Dinosaur Rocket, but then what is?
March 22, 2018
good story, there's not much teaching behind this book, but its a good one to give to a boy that doesn't like reading.
August 28, 2018
Kind of hilarious that they did battle by lobbing tomatoes!
January 26, 2019
We loved the dinosaurs, but wish there was more info on the dinosaurs in the story.
January 31, 2019
I like the way each page opening builds upon itself.
July 25, 2019
A cute dinosaur-pirate adventure story. Repeated phrases will encourage children to participate with the telling.
Recommended for storytime.
Recommended for storytime.
February 5, 2020
Illustrations are great, but the writing didn't grab me. There is a lot of repeating the words for early readers, which is nice.
May 30, 2020
Such weird phrasing. It was hard to read out loud as there was no natural flow.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews