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When Dinosaurs Came with Everything
From beloved duo Elise Broach and David Small comes an adorable picture book about a little boy who gets a free dino with purchase!
Free gift with Dinosaurs!
Wait—free what?!
Just when a little boy thinks he’s going to die of boredom from running errands with his mom, the most remarkable, the most stupendous thing happens. He discovers that on this day, and this day only, stores everywhere are giving away a very special treat with any purchase. No, not the usual lollipop or sticker. Something bigger. Much, MUCH bigger. It’s a dream come true, except…what exactly do you do with these Jurassic treats? And how do you convince Mom to let you keep them?
Free gift with Dinosaurs!
Wait—free what?!
Just when a little boy thinks he’s going to die of boredom from running errands with his mom, the most remarkable, the most stupendous thing happens. He discovers that on this day, and this day only, stores everywhere are giving away a very special treat with any purchase. No, not the usual lollipop or sticker. Something bigger. Much, MUCH bigger. It’s a dream come true, except…what exactly do you do with these Jurassic treats? And how do you convince Mom to let you keep them?
40 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2007
11 people are currently reading
1124 people want to read
About the author
Elise Broach
31 books147 followersElise Broach is the New York Times bestselling author of children's books including Masterpiece, Shakespeare's Secret, Desert Crossing, Missing on Superstition Mountain (the first book in the Superstition Mountain Trilogy) as well as several picture books. Her books have been selected as ALA notable books, Junior Library Guild selections, a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book, a New York Public Library Best Book for the Teenage, an IRA Teacher's Choice, an E.B. White Read Aloud Award, and nominated for an Edgar Award, among other distinctions. Ms. Broach holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Yale University. She was born in Georgia and lives in the woods of rural Connecticut, walking distance from three farms, a library, a post office and two country stores.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/eliseb...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/eliseb...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 325 reviews
August 28, 2020
Fun concept, with a lot of silliness. Good dinosaurs.
July 7, 2010
This is such a cute premise, and one that I would have been ga-ga over as a dino-loving kid. At first, it's just another boring day of having to go run errands with Mom—and our young narrator is not pleased. Then, at the bakery, they see a sign that says "Buy a Dozen Donuts, Get a Dinosaur." "Must be a toy," Mom thinks, ordering the donuts. But when the bakery lady brings out a real triceratops, the fun begins!!! Indeed, on this special day, dinosaurs come with EVERYTHING including haircuts, movies and even doctor visits! Soon, the whole town is full of kids parading about with their dinos. On my first read, I wasn't a big fan of the illustrations but they grew on me when I read this a year later. I think they really helped tell the story and show the kid's joy and the mother's consternation--and then her transformation to where she could see the dinosaurs being useful and part of the family. So cute and funny!
May 8, 2019
It's dinosaur time over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, and this hilarious picture-book was one of our official selections! Reluctantly accompanying his mother on her errands, a bored young boy finds his day transformed when, instead of lollipops or balloons, he is given real live dinosaurs at the various businesses they visit. Soon, the boy finds himself being trailed by a triceratops, a stegosaurus, and a pterosaur, while his frazzled mother wonders what they will do with such huge, unwieldy creatures.
A surreal adventure in the style of Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem , this delightful story takes a common childhood fantasy - that of having a dinosaur for a pet - and runs with it, perfectly capturing the reactions of both boy and mother. The accompanying ink and watercolor artwork of David Small - whose Imogene's Antlers has always been a personal favorite of mine - accentuates the humorous contrast in each scene, adding to the reader's enjoyment. With its well-matched text and art, When Dinosaurs Came With Everything is a book that young dinosaur fans will relish!
A surreal adventure in the style of Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem , this delightful story takes a common childhood fantasy - that of having a dinosaur for a pet - and runs with it, perfectly capturing the reactions of both boy and mother. The accompanying ink and watercolor artwork of David Small - whose Imogene's Antlers has always been a personal favorite of mine - accentuates the humorous contrast in each scene, adding to the reader's enjoyment. With its well-matched text and art, When Dinosaurs Came With Everything is a book that young dinosaur fans will relish!
September 29, 2008
Now, why aren't all picture books written like this? The mom is very mom-like, and the kid sounds just like my 6-year-old, who, when asked the other day if he bugs the kid who sits next to him with too much talking, said, "No. Sometimes I ask him, 'Dude, how's it going?' but that's all."
The kid in this book, upon learning that he gets a dinosaur instead of a sticker after his checkup, crumples slightly, knees together, throws back his head with his arms up, and cries, "YESSS!" And I LOVE the scratchy pen and ink and watercolor illustrations - David Small also illustrated The Gardener, one of my all-time favorite happy weepie picture books. I even love the typeface, the same one used in 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore.
The kid in this book, upon learning that he gets a dinosaur instead of a sticker after his checkup, crumples slightly, knees together, throws back his head with his arms up, and cries, "YESSS!" And I LOVE the scratchy pen and ink and watercolor illustrations - David Small also illustrated The Gardener, one of my all-time favorite happy weepie picture books. I even love the typeface, the same one used in 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore.
February 8, 2025
This is a great book in every way.
It is very silly and well-illustrated.
It starts with wish fulfillment for the kid, which is always fun, at the expense of the parent, which is even more fun.
Then, there is a behavior modification and lesson being taught, but it's not the kid modeling it, it's the parent. This makes it more subtle, since kids can be sensitive to having lessons shoved at them via books.
Finally, I really liked how he mentioned that doing chores integrated the dinosaurs into the family. That was a nice touch.
It is very silly and well-illustrated.
It starts with wish fulfillment for the kid, which is always fun, at the expense of the parent, which is even more fun.
Then, there is a behavior modification and lesson being taught, but it's not the kid modeling it, it's the parent. This makes it more subtle, since kids can be sensitive to having lessons shoved at them via books.
Finally, I really liked how he mentioned that doing chores integrated the dinosaurs into the family. That was a nice touch.
September 4, 2008
This is a funny and fun book. It’s silly and sweet. I think it will be a special hit with little boys but all children should appreciate it. It’s a fun book for adults to read and great for read alouds. The pictures are wonderful too and contain wonderful little touches, such as the fearful look in the big bad dog’s eyes when he sees the dinosaurs next door.
December 7, 2016
This. Book. So laugh out loud hilarious.
November 11, 2017
Super fun premise for children to imagine a dinosaur coming free with all purchases for the day! Great book for dinosaur-lovers.
July 20, 2010
“When Dinosaurs Came with Everything” is a creative and hilarious book from the mind of Elise Broach along with illustrations by David Small and it is about how a boy and his mother go on errands on Friday and everywhere they went, every time they bought something, they have to buy a dinosaur. “When Dinosaurs Came with Everything” is a cute book for children who love dinosaurs.
Elise Broach has done an excellent job at writing this book as she describes a situation that would actually never happen in real life and that is what would happen if you can buy a dinosaur with every item you buy. Elise Broach’s story is humorous as the idea of buying dinosaurs is a truly hilarious idea and the mother’s discontent at having so many dinosaurs while the boy is so excited at the idea is extremely funny as it is similar to how a parent would react if their children are interested in activities that might seem outrageous. David Small’s illustrations are scratchy yet cute and creative at the same time as they are full of dinosaurs and the dinosaurs always take up the whole page and the dinosaurs are always looking content, so smaller children will not be frightened by the images or the dinosaurs. David Small also makes the images extremely hilarious, especially of the images of the mother being shocked at having so many dinosaurs while the boy is extremely excited and the image that stood out the most was the image of the mother crouching on the floor when the boy receives a pterosaur for a gift from the barber.
“When Dinosaurs Came with Everything” is a cute book about what happens when dinosaurs come with everything you buy and it is definitely a great book for children who love reading about dinosaurs. I would recommend this book to children ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book even though the story might seem a bit too simplistic due to the fact that most of the plot just merely involves the boy buying every dinosaur he gets from whatever errand place he has to go to.
Elise Broach has done an excellent job at writing this book as she describes a situation that would actually never happen in real life and that is what would happen if you can buy a dinosaur with every item you buy. Elise Broach’s story is humorous as the idea of buying dinosaurs is a truly hilarious idea and the mother’s discontent at having so many dinosaurs while the boy is so excited at the idea is extremely funny as it is similar to how a parent would react if their children are interested in activities that might seem outrageous. David Small’s illustrations are scratchy yet cute and creative at the same time as they are full of dinosaurs and the dinosaurs always take up the whole page and the dinosaurs are always looking content, so smaller children will not be frightened by the images or the dinosaurs. David Small also makes the images extremely hilarious, especially of the images of the mother being shocked at having so many dinosaurs while the boy is extremely excited and the image that stood out the most was the image of the mother crouching on the floor when the boy receives a pterosaur for a gift from the barber.
“When Dinosaurs Came with Everything” is a cute book about what happens when dinosaurs come with everything you buy and it is definitely a great book for children who love reading about dinosaurs. I would recommend this book to children ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book even though the story might seem a bit too simplistic due to the fact that most of the plot just merely involves the boy buying every dinosaur he gets from whatever errand place he has to go to.
February 24, 2009
We found this randomly at the library, and I am in love with it.
First, it's clever. A boy sets on a boring day of errands with his mother, only to find that at each stop, he gets a dinosaur. The bakery gives him one when they purchase a dozen donuts, the doctor's office is giving them instead of stickers, and the barber gives one in place of a balloon. Needless to say, the boy is ecstatic, his mother is not.
Which brings me to the second reason I loved this book. In the end, the mom comes around to the boy's way of thinking. Unlike most stories where the child wins out and the parents are made to look like idiots, this one is just plain sweet. There is no gloating on the part of the child, and the mother is smart in her own right.
For me it was a dear reminder that sometimes as parents, we try to stifle so much of what our kids bring with them (their energy, noise, imagination) when really we should just breathe, enjoy, and encourage in an appropriate (not just adult) way. We may just find that their "dinosaurs" serve us as well as they do our children.
First, it's clever. A boy sets on a boring day of errands with his mother, only to find that at each stop, he gets a dinosaur. The bakery gives him one when they purchase a dozen donuts, the doctor's office is giving them instead of stickers, and the barber gives one in place of a balloon. Needless to say, the boy is ecstatic, his mother is not.
Which brings me to the second reason I loved this book. In the end, the mom comes around to the boy's way of thinking. Unlike most stories where the child wins out and the parents are made to look like idiots, this one is just plain sweet. There is no gloating on the part of the child, and the mother is smart in her own right.
For me it was a dear reminder that sometimes as parents, we try to stifle so much of what our kids bring with them (their energy, noise, imagination) when really we should just breathe, enjoy, and encourage in an appropriate (not just adult) way. We may just find that their "dinosaurs" serve us as well as they do our children.
June 15, 2009
Son (age 6) says...
"I liked the dinosaur book because the boy in the story got so many dinosaurs: one from the bakery, one from the nurse at the doctor's office, one from the barber, one from the sidewalk, and then his mom asked for more donuts and he got a lot more dinosaurs. The mom's feelings about the dinosaurs changed."
Mom says...
The story is humorous, and both kids and moms can relate. What parent hasn't at some point been frustrated by junky giveaways that aren't needed and clutter the house? And what kid doesn't like to collect them? The idea is an original, fun twist on a commonplace event, and the book structure provides kids with clear conflict/problem to be solved and creative solutions; also shows good example of how a character changes by the end (you know: uptight mom loosens up and allows some prehistoric mayhem into the house). Not that there'll be pterosaurs in our apartment...
"I liked the dinosaur book because the boy in the story got so many dinosaurs: one from the bakery, one from the nurse at the doctor's office, one from the barber, one from the sidewalk, and then his mom asked for more donuts and he got a lot more dinosaurs. The mom's feelings about the dinosaurs changed."
Mom says...
The story is humorous, and both kids and moms can relate. What parent hasn't at some point been frustrated by junky giveaways that aren't needed and clutter the house? And what kid doesn't like to collect them? The idea is an original, fun twist on a commonplace event, and the book structure provides kids with clear conflict/problem to be solved and creative solutions; also shows good example of how a character changes by the end (you know: uptight mom loosens up and allows some prehistoric mayhem into the house). Not that there'll be pterosaurs in our apartment...
February 10, 2013
Dinosaurs are intriguing for all youngsters, especially boys. When this young boy has to run errands with his mom, his ultimate fantasy begins. Everywhere he goes, he gets a free dinosaur! Free cookies, lollipops, and balloons have been replaced. Buy a dozen donuts at the bakery- get a free dinosaur. See the doctor- get a dinosaur. Get your haircut- get a free dinosaur. Getting a shot is even worth it to get another dinosaur today. Moms all over town seem distraught. Once at home, Mom sees the pterosaur retrieve a Frisbee from the roof, she gets an idea. Those dinosaurs get put to work: cleaning gutters, hanging clothes, and raking leaves. Turns out the dinosaurs please more than just the boy.
A fabulous choice for the E.B White Read Aloud Award. An excellent book to make predictions along the way.
A fabulous choice for the E.B White Read Aloud Award. An excellent book to make predictions along the way.
November 19, 2009
I am on dino fanatic number three at my house, and honestly, I can't take much more of the dinosaur books that line my bookshelves. EXCEPT THIS ONE. When one of my boys wants to read about dinosaurs, if he doesn't include this book in the stack, I do. I laugh everytime I read it. Small's illustrations perfectly capture the characters emotions -- from the boy's elation when he discovers he can get a free dinosaur instead of a sticker at the doctor's office, to his mother's panic when the barber offers a pterosaur in place of a balloon. My boys love it, because they get to indulge in the fantasy they've all had: what if I could have a dinosaur for a pet. I love it, because it is a pitch-perfect blend of fantasy and realisty. And the happily-ever-after ending makes everyone smile.
December 1, 2010
Preschool to Grade 2. Every kid knows you get a lolly when you visit the bank, a sticker at the doctor's, and mints at a restaurant-- but what if you could get something more AWESOME? What if they gave away dinosaurs?? That's what happens in this book! (I give away dinosaurs-as-stick puppets at the end of class so that everyone gets a dinosaur to take home).
July 4, 2011
This book is delightful for both parents and kids. Who can't relate to the idea of kids getting free stuff when you go places. Stickers at the doctors office, balloons at the barber shop, toys in your happy meals. But what if on one particular day, instead of the usual things you got a DINOSAUR with everything?!!!
This one got an E.B. White read-aloud award that was very much deserved!
This one got an E.B. White read-aloud award that was very much deserved!
June 8, 2016
It makes me feel that I want a Dinosaur!
March 3, 2019
The book “When Dinosaurs Came With Everything” is about a little boy and his mom who have to run errands and her son really doesn’t want to go because they are always so boring. His mom forces him to come. They first go to a doughnut shop and there was a weird sign on the counter saying “Buy a Dozen, get a Dinosaur”. They were both confused and thought it would just be a toy dinosaur but they were wrong, it was a real one! After that, every errand they ran, they would receive a dinosaur to follow them home because it was “Dinosaur come with everything day!” They went to the doctor’s office and instead of a lollipop, he got a dinosaur and at the barber shop, instead of a balloon, he got a dinosaur. The mom was getting very irritated and was worried that there wasn’t enough room at home to keep all these dinosaurs. At the end of the book the mom started to really warm up to them and eventually saw the fun in the dinosaurs and wanted more. She called the doughnut shop to see if they had any more doughnuts because she wanted more dinosaurs.
The overall theme of this book is acceptance, family, and love. His mom was very upset at the beginning of the story because she didn’t know what to do with the dinosaurs or how to take care of them. She eventually learned how to put them to use by having them help her with the chores around the house and yard and finally accepted them into the family and learned to love them.
When I read this book I was a little upset with the mom for almost not letting her son keep all the dinosaurs but when she learned to like them I was happy because acceptance and giving everyone a chance is always good. The ending of this book made me very happy and I felt the characters emotions as well, the happiness of the son, and the relief of the mom.
I would definitely recommend this book because it shows the importance of acceptance and love. Even though his mom didn’t think the dinosaurs would be a good fit in their family, she came around and realized that they were amazing creatures who are easy to take care of and are super helpful. This book will not only make kids excited to read about dinosaurs but also teach them about giving people and animals a chance and how to love.
The overall theme of this book is acceptance, family, and love. His mom was very upset at the beginning of the story because she didn’t know what to do with the dinosaurs or how to take care of them. She eventually learned how to put them to use by having them help her with the chores around the house and yard and finally accepted them into the family and learned to love them.
When I read this book I was a little upset with the mom for almost not letting her son keep all the dinosaurs but when she learned to like them I was happy because acceptance and giving everyone a chance is always good. The ending of this book made me very happy and I felt the characters emotions as well, the happiness of the son, and the relief of the mom.
I would definitely recommend this book because it shows the importance of acceptance and love. Even though his mom didn’t think the dinosaurs would be a good fit in their family, she came around and realized that they were amazing creatures who are easy to take care of and are super helpful. This book will not only make kids excited to read about dinosaurs but also teach them about giving people and animals a chance and how to love.
September 10, 2025
I read When Dinosaurs Came with Everything written by Elise Broach and illustrated by David Small. The book is written from a first person point of view with the narrator being a little boy who has to run errands with his mom. Their first stop was the doughnut spot. They both noticed a sign that said, “buy a dozen, get a dinosaur.” They both assumed this meant a toy dinosaur but they were sorely mistaken when a triceratops appeared from behind the counter. The narrator was ecstatic while the mother was less than enthusiastic, but they continued to run errands, the triceratops following close behind. The next stop was the doctors office where they picked up another dinosaur. The mom asked the doctor what was going on and the doctor replied by saying,
“It’s a special day. Today, dinosaurs come with everything!” Everywhere they went there were signs saying that if they bought something they would get a dinosaur. Their final stop was at the barber shop. The mom assumed since her son always gets a balloon from the barber that this appointment would be like all the others. But once again her son received another dinosaur. The mom is overwhelmed but realizes she can’t leave them on the street so she and her son take them home. Her son shows them the yard and all the do’s and don'ts of living at their house. They started playing with a frisbee and it got stuck on the roof and the pterosaur flew up to retrieve it. The narrator's mom saw this and got an idea. She put all the dinosaurs to work by having them do chores around the house. The book ends by alluding to the fact that she went back to the doughnut shop and got the rest of the dinosaurs.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The illustrations are cute and done in a watercolor manner. This book is good for all ages, but I would most likely use it in an upper elementary setting. The book shows the mom having a bitter attitude towards the dinosaurs initially, but finding a way to make them helpful and fit into her life. This would be great when talking about perspective with children. There are always multiple ways to look at things and this can help children realize that they can be problem solvers.
“It’s a special day. Today, dinosaurs come with everything!” Everywhere they went there were signs saying that if they bought something they would get a dinosaur. Their final stop was at the barber shop. The mom assumed since her son always gets a balloon from the barber that this appointment would be like all the others. But once again her son received another dinosaur. The mom is overwhelmed but realizes she can’t leave them on the street so she and her son take them home. Her son shows them the yard and all the do’s and don'ts of living at their house. They started playing with a frisbee and it got stuck on the roof and the pterosaur flew up to retrieve it. The narrator's mom saw this and got an idea. She put all the dinosaurs to work by having them do chores around the house. The book ends by alluding to the fact that she went back to the doughnut shop and got the rest of the dinosaurs.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The illustrations are cute and done in a watercolor manner. This book is good for all ages, but I would most likely use it in an upper elementary setting. The book shows the mom having a bitter attitude towards the dinosaurs initially, but finding a way to make them helpful and fit into her life. This would be great when talking about perspective with children. There are always multiple ways to look at things and this can help children realize that they can be problem solvers.
October 11, 2017
Summary
This book is about a little boy who thinks he is going to the usual Friday errands which are extremely boring. However, as they start errand day and go to the super market he sees a poster "Buy a dozen and get a dinosaur" so they go ahead and order the dozen doughnuts to get what they supposed was a toy dinosaur. After ordering and receiving the order a real dinosaur comes out the door and the vendor tells the little boy that is his dinosaur. Everyplace they went they received a new dinosaur. After running all the errands the boy ended with 4 dinosaurs which he brought home. At home he played with them and his mom even though she did not like the idea of the dinosaurs found they could be useful for chores.
Major Themes
Conflict resolution and adventure
Personal Response
I found it very interesting how the author change the mom's and kids attitude as we moved through the book. At the beginning the mom was very excited about running errands and the boy was mad. Then, as the first dinosaur appeared the boy was happy/ excited and the mom was mad. Finally at the end of the book they were both happy with all the dinosaurs.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book since it is a different and fun way kids can actually learn different types of dinosaurs; it can work as an introduction to dinosaurs. Furthermore, it is very relatable since the majority of people hate running errands nevertheless you have to go and never know when something interesting can occur. Moreover, it also demonstrates how looking at the bright side of things can change the outcome and solve problems.
This book is about a little boy who thinks he is going to the usual Friday errands which are extremely boring. However, as they start errand day and go to the super market he sees a poster "Buy a dozen and get a dinosaur" so they go ahead and order the dozen doughnuts to get what they supposed was a toy dinosaur. After ordering and receiving the order a real dinosaur comes out the door and the vendor tells the little boy that is his dinosaur. Everyplace they went they received a new dinosaur. After running all the errands the boy ended with 4 dinosaurs which he brought home. At home he played with them and his mom even though she did not like the idea of the dinosaurs found they could be useful for chores.
Major Themes
Conflict resolution and adventure
Personal Response
I found it very interesting how the author change the mom's and kids attitude as we moved through the book. At the beginning the mom was very excited about running errands and the boy was mad. Then, as the first dinosaur appeared the boy was happy/ excited and the mom was mad. Finally at the end of the book they were both happy with all the dinosaurs.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book since it is a different and fun way kids can actually learn different types of dinosaurs; it can work as an introduction to dinosaurs. Furthermore, it is very relatable since the majority of people hate running errands nevertheless you have to go and never know when something interesting can occur. Moreover, it also demonstrates how looking at the bright side of things can change the outcome and solve problems.
October 29, 2021
The story, When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach is on the 2008 Notable Children's Book List. It was originally published in 2007. In this story, a boy and his mom are running normal errands, and they notice something peculiar. Everywhere they go, it is advertised that you get a free dinosaur with every purchase. At first, they assumed it was a toy dinosaur, but in reality it is a real one! Quickly, an unimaginable amount of dinosaurs accumulate throughout the story. These dinosaurs behave like dogs and obey commands and are "trained". At first, the mother was very unhappy with the dinosaurs, but as the story progressed, she adapted more to them and overcame her negative opinions. One of many identifiable themes in this story is to turn a negative situation into a positive one. His mother turned her attitude around towards the dinosaurs and at the end of the story, tries to get another dinosaur! The illustrations in this story are also very unique and it is easy to capture the mother's attitude by observing her facial expressions. I believe this book serves as an important lesson to children and allows them to observe how someone turns their attitude around. Teachers can use this story to broadcast this theme to their students and can even have them do an activity where they can reflect and differentiate their reactions and behavior to obscure things that would be bothersome to them.
October 25, 2017
When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach and illustrated by David Small is a wonderful picture book about receiving a dinosaur with any purchase! The cover is double sided with a young boy swinging from a dinosaur’s tail. If the illustration on the cover does not give a hint to what the story will be about the title design and typeface gives it away with “DINOSAURS” in bold and in all caps. Although this story does not have an illustrated end paper it does have a blue end paper which goes with the theme of the cover. The story also has a dust jacket that gives a brief summary of the story. Most of the text layout is at the bottom of every page so the illustrations play a big role in telling the story. The typeface is enlarged when the mother and boy yell. Gutters are used when illustrating the dinosaurs because they take up a lot of space. Perspective is another artistic element that is used to show the little boys point of view when seeing the dinosaurs. The artistic media used in this picture book is pencil or pen and watercolor paint because of the transparency of the illustrations and blurred lines of color. The artistic style is definitely cartoon style because of the emphasis on humor and exaggeration of the character’s appearance. This book would be great for students who love dinosaurs. This is winner of the 2008 E.B. White Read Aloud Award, engages readers because of its humor and just imagining having a dinosaur as a pet!
May 22, 2018
What if, instead of getting a balloon as a treat after sitting nicely for a haircut, you got a dinosaur? Not a toy, not a stuffed animal, not a sticker, but a real live dinosaur. As the young main character (a boy who's name we never find out) goes about the boring Friday morning errands with his mother, he is delighted to find out that it is a special day...dinosaurs come with everything! A triceratops at the bakery when purchasing a dozen donuts, a stegosaurus after a check up at the doctor and a pterosaur from the barber! His dream come true is his mother's nightmare, until she realizes that perhaps these dinosaurs could come in rather handy. The gutters have never been so clean, the lawn is perfectly mowed and those stegosaurus spikes are perfect for hanging laundry to dry. As the dinosaurs settle in to their life at home, readers will enjoy the water color illustrations which enhance the story by showing the dinosaurs adjusting to life in their new home. A cute read which entertains younger readers and helps them to see reality vs. fantasy, sparking wonderful discussions about what it would be like to live with dinosaurs!
May 4, 2018
When Dinosaurs came with everything is a hilarious cartoon style book that allows children to play in the surreal idea of having dinosaurs as pets. This book is intended for grades pre-k to first grade and I think that is a great target age for this story. The illustrator uses what seems to be marker and watercolor to create dreamlike illustrations that pull the reader into this out of this world idea of getting a dinosaur with everything. What is fairly interesting about the illustrations in this book is there are is a lot of negative space when there are not any dinosaurs present, but as soon as the boy gets a dinosaur the illustrations become a two-page spread and have no or very little negative space. I think transitioning between one-page spread to two-page spread really helps enforce the absurdity of receiving a dinosaur with everything. This book has won the E. B. White Read Aloud Award and I could see it being used to encourage students to write about what they would do with their dinosaurs if they got one with everything one day.
June 16, 2022
Illustrations are in ink and watercolor. Mostly paler colors. I especially love the facial expressions on the first page- the Mom just content and smiling but the boy is super annoyed and I also love the expressions on the page where he gets a stegosaurus. He is ecstatic and the Mom is horrified. The book starts out on Friday- errand day and they first got doughnuts and with a dozen you get a dinosaur. The Mom thinks it must mean a toy, but nope, it's a real dinosaur. The doctor's is next "After my checkup, I asked for a sticker, like usual. 'No stickers today,' said the nurse. 'Just dinosaurs. With a shot, you get two.' 'I want a shot,' I said." It's a cute fun book- especially if your child likes dinosaurs. After ending errand day early, they go home and the dinosaurs are playing and then the Mom puts them to work doing chores (cleaning the gutters, being a clothesline of sorts, etc) and decides they aren't so bad after all.
August 3, 2017
This is a fun one. I think it would have been a favorite for my two oldest boys because when they were little they were obsessed with dinosaurs. The idea of getting one as a pet as we ran errands all around town would have thrilled them. My youngest kids are not really into dinosaurs at this point, but they still really enjoyed the silly premise of this book. The are-you-kidding-me facial expressions are priceless. The illustrator captured the reactions of both kids and adults perfectly. I love how Mom came around in the end and realized that having a bunch of dinosaurs as pets had some perks, too.
July 19, 2022
This is a funny book, and it worked well in storytime despite being just a smidge long. The exasperation of the mother and the enthusiasm of her son are fun to portray.
It surprises me to learn that this book was published in 2007 because of the somewhat old-fashioned gender roles within it. Mom stays at home, does housework and takes care of child. Nurses and bakery ladies are female, barbers and garbage collectors are male. Nurses wear little white caps. All the females wear dresses and skirts, even for doing laundry. None of this is bad, because this is a life that some people live. I just found it a little surprising.
It surprises me to learn that this book was published in 2007 because of the somewhat old-fashioned gender roles within it. Mom stays at home, does housework and takes care of child. Nurses and bakery ladies are female, barbers and garbage collectors are male. Nurses wear little white caps. All the females wear dresses and skirts, even for doing laundry. None of this is bad, because this is a life that some people live. I just found it a little surprising.
April 1, 2024
The day started pretty dull when a mom announces it is errands day and her son must come. Everything turned around when, upon buying donuts, they learned that dinosaurs come with everything for today! The street is full of dinos and mom has no idea how they will care for them. Will she come to love her new pets?
This book is so cute and unique! I pick this up because I love dino books and this one did not disappoint. I would recommend this book because it has a good story and ends really nice. This book would be good for early readers and for reading aloud to younger children.
This book is so cute and unique! I pick this up because I love dino books and this one did not disappoint. I would recommend this book because it has a good story and ends really nice. This book would be good for early readers and for reading aloud to younger children.
January 9, 2023
Winner of the EB White Read Aloud Award.
Daring story of a boy who goes with his mom for some errands and finds that the day is "get a dinosaur free" with everything day. So getting donuts, his haircut, etc all lead him to having his own pack of dinosaurs that follow him to his house.
It is told fantastically and is a great read aloud to illicit some giggles and possibly some longing for one's own dinosaur.
Daring story of a boy who goes with his mom for some errands and finds that the day is "get a dinosaur free" with everything day. So getting donuts, his haircut, etc all lead him to having his own pack of dinosaurs that follow him to his house.
It is told fantastically and is a great read aloud to illicit some giggles and possibly some longing for one's own dinosaur.
Read
June 12, 2023Can't rate. Young me would not have liked it at all, no way. Adult me says "hmm...." Compare to Danny and the Dinosaur which I did not like then and still don't care for. However, I'm surely missing something, so I'm not going to mess with the community average rating.
August 14, 2017
I had a blast reading this one! I loved doing the "mom voice." She says exactly what an exasperated mom really would. Love it! The kid reacted just as a dino-crazy boy of my acquaintance probably would, and the plot, while completely impossible, was presented so logically that you can't help but go along with it. It was a perfect addition to our unit on dinosaurs.
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