This is NOT a Dinosaur!

by Barry Timms

Prepare for a hilarious adventure with the funniest dinosaur you've EVER seen! This book is NOT about a dinosaur! Well, not an any old dinosaur. THIS dinosaur can become the most amazing things - a footballer, pirate, deep-sea diver, knight, magician and even a hairdresser! Having a dinosaur for a friend is one BIG adventure. This fabulously funny story has stacks of appeal for both girls and boys. Look out for spooky houses, prehistoric creatures, silly fish, sparkling teeth and LOTS of fun and friendship. With wonderful wordplay and a sweet relationship at its heart, this is NOT a dinosaur book to be missed!

Every Nosy Crow paperback picture book comes with a free "Stories Aloud" audio recording. Just scan the QR code and listen along!

Genres: Picture Books, Dinosaurs, Storytime, Friendship

Hardcover

Published May 5, 2022

About the author

Barry enjoys the way that stories bring people together. After many years spent editing children’s books, he is now telling tales of his own. Barry lives by an old water tower in South London and can often be found with pencil in hand, writing or drawing or both. He likes road movies, ghost trains and exploring forgotten side streets.

Reviews

[Olivia]

See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/this-i...

THIS IS NOT A DINOSAUR! is an adorable and silly rhyming picture book. The book shows a dinosaur (who is NOT a dinosaur) and describes it by the things it is doing, such as "a clever-magic-trick-osaur" and "a supersonic-kick-osaur."

What I loved: This is such silly fun with the (clearly a) dinosaur doing all sorts of things with a young boy, including brushing teeth, climbing a mountain, and traveling back in time. Children will definitely find a lot to giggle about along the way. The rhythm of the text is perfect, with the names being about the same length and rhyming as you go. It's a great story to read aloud, and of course, to hear. The book comes with a QR code that can be scanned for an audiobook as well, for times when caregivers are unable to read it themselves.

The illustrations are full of color and capture the story perfectly. The friendship between the boy and dinosaur are apparent throughout with plenty of fun images to explore. Combined with the writing, this is perfect for preschoolers and young elementary school readers.

What left me wanting more: As a super small thing, there are a few pages where the reading order is not immediately apparent (top across and then bottom across or left page then right page) due to the way the font lines up. Once caregivers get into the rhythm of the book and get to used it, this small challenge goes away.

Final verdict: THIS IS NOT A DINOSAUR! is a delightfully silly and charming picture book that young readers will love.

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day, a little boy meets a new friend who isn't an ordinary creature. It's not a dinosaur either even though it looks like one. Instead, it's all kinds of fun packed into one thing. There's so much the boy and the "NOT" dinosaur can do together, so they aren't bored for even a moment. He's very versatile and you never know what's coming next.

THIS IS NOT A DINOSAUR is a silly story that is perfect for children who love dinosaurs and stories about friendship. The illustrations are bright and bold with colors that pop off the page. They match the humor of the text too and makes dinosaurs even more appealing, even though it "isn't" a dinosaur. I love the concept that it's a "-saurus" with fun activities filling the space instead of a dinosaur name. It's a fun twist to this widely loved creature.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged four and up who like dinosaurs and funny stories that will bring a smile to their face. Every page is packed with humor and I love how the illustrations are as entertaining as the text.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the colorful illustrations in this picture book prove that the young boy in the pictures is spending time with a dinosaur, the prehistoric creature is so much more than that. Clever, original word play based on the -osaur part of the beast's name ["sign-osaur" and "shine-osaur," for instance] carries the story all the way to the affectionate end. The repetitive language, questioning, and direct address of the text draw readers into the story, making them a bit envious of the adventures the boy and the dinosaur have, not to mention their close relationship. If having this sort of dinosaur by your side was possible, most youngsters would want one just like the protagonist. This one is a good read aloud, but be sure to read it ahead of time and practice a bit so the reading performance flows well.

[Morgan the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great addition to the always growing Dino category (and honestly, who doesn't need more dino books?) I'll certainly use it in some upcoming storytimes, as I liked the bright pictures and found it lots of fun.

[Patri onemorepagetonight · Rating 2 out of 5]

pues qué quieres que te diga, meh. no dice nada especial más que un nombre modificado 80 veces.

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little old for little-littles, but dinosaurs are always good.