Customer Reviews

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything (Junior Library Guild Selection)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Very cute concept: instead of the usual little giveaways at stores (cookie, lollipop, etc) on this day, everyone is giving away dinosaurs! The kids are really excited about this, the moms not so much (until the end...). The pictures are great - the dinosaurs look realistic, but friendly. Both my kids (boy, 4 and girl, 6) love this book... and so do I!

We now own three copies of this book. We bought this for our son for his fourth birthday. On the same day, he received it from his great Aunt, based on the recommendation of an independent book seller in North Carolina. He then received another copy from his Grandfather in New York. It is a delightful book, which must be why booksellers keep recommending it to relatives. The illustrations are fun and the text keeps my little guy engaged. The story is a wonderful fantasy for him and we both love how the Mom creatively solves the "problem" of having dinos at home. We have now given one of our extra copies as a gift and will donate the other to my son's pre-school. My 7 year old daughter loves reading this book to her little brother, so I'd recommend it for both boys and girls in various age groups. Whoever you're buying for, buy this book! It's a great one to add to your collection.

I love this book. I picked it to read for storytime at my bookstore, and it went over well. I loved reading it. It had a lot of voice, and for dino obsessed kids, its great because it names a bunch of the different species names and the boy narrates the book, so it is relatable. :) Very fun for boys and girls!

A very funny fantasy in which a boy, bored with going on errands with his mother, is surprised to discover that rather than the lollipops and balloons he is used to receiving, all the businesses they visit are giving out free living dinosaurs with all purchases. On receiving these high-maintenance pets, his mother is initially horrified, but allows the animals to follow them home (although she does curtail the errrands). The boy makes them at home in his backyard, and when his mother discovers that they can do chores she comes to accept them as "part of the family."

The easygoing behemoths are depicted in life size, and the boy describes them by their scientific names, and reality is suspended not only in that they exist in modern times but also that even the biggest predators are very mild-mannered. It is nice that the boy takes responsibility for his giant pets, and that the mark of becoming part of the family is that they begin contributing to the household. The story is pleasingly illustrated and winningly plays on the natural fascination children have for dinosaurs -- almost a sure winner.

This book cracks me up! I love it! Very creative, and unlike any book I have read. You can somewhat relate it to getting a dog. My kids think it is so funny.

I love this book. I recommend it to everyone. My kids (3 & 5) get a good laugh out of it.

Real dinosaurs are given as treats as a boy goes through a day of errands... get a haircut, get a balloon, right? Not today, buddy! Get a Pterosaur instead! A triceratops at the bakery! A Stegasaurus after a doctor's visit! Meanwhile, you will relate to Mom who isn't taking this so well. She avoids the diner to miss getting a T. Rex but worries about taking care of her newly acquired herpetofauna. In the clever end, she ends up giving household jobs to all of the creatures. And they don't mind, because doing chores means they are part of the family. I LOVE that line! The watercolor/line drawing artwork is really fun, complementing the story and entertaining in the details. The style is easy to read and seamless with a child's perspective (complete with nagging! and it wasn't my fault!). You can't go wrong here!

Every child finds going on errands gets a bit tedious, especially if there are several stops. Now what if each of those stops resulted in the child receiving a dinosaur? Mom might be encouraged to go a bit faster and the child would want to stop at more places.

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything (Junior Library Guild Selection) will stimulate your child's imagination. What fun it would be if this really happened. I remember someone saying that their child was heartbroken when he found out dinosaurs were extinct. This book might not help in that situation! My grandson is fascinated with dinosaurs which is why I chose this one for him. It is a fun book for the adult reading it as well, even if they might stumble over some of the names of the dinosaurs!

What a great new children's story! I couldn't help but chuckled as I saw myself, on those days when my kids keep getting into things that are so cool and fun for them, but messy, or noisy, or any of the other things that make moms sometimes say "not today". The expressions on the mom's face in this story are priceless, as is that moment when she looks up, sees her child having a great day, and realizes that she could be having fun with him, instead of being exasperated by his big, noisy, crazy new companions. I loved it!

I got this book from the library twice and we would read it every day, so I bought the book. The story begins with a typical day for a boy and his mother but becomes anything but typical. The story is unique, the characters in the story 'true to life', and the book illustrates that a family can adapt to unusual circumstances. Well illustrated... the pictures hold the interest of my 2 year-old grandson, although I am not sure he understands the story. Fun story for kids and adults. Be prepared to name the dinosaurs!