Good Night, Dinosaurs [Hardcover]

Judy Sierra (Author), Victoria Chess (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1996 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Spirited, funny verse and comical pictures give readers a peek into a hitherto unknown aspect of dinosaur life: what went on at little dinosaurs' bedtime.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With a twist on an old lullaby theme, Sierra and Chess offer a fanciful look at what happens when "the sun [sinks] low / in the Mesozoic sky" and it [is] "bedtime- / bedtime for dinosaurs." In this droll menagerie, two tiny stegosauruses whisper "creepy stories" to a group of enormous, "trembling allosauruses." Winged pteranodons dressed in frilly polka-dotted nightgowns suck on their baby bottles while hanging "forty feet above the ground, / Softly swaying to the sound / Of the dinosaurs' sleepytime song." Whether they are "snoring all in choruses" or resisting bath time in a "squishy fishy tub," these irresistible reptiles (and their parents) have many of the same problems with bedtime that children do. Unfortunately, even if one already knows how to pronounce multisyllabic dinosaur names, Sierra's meter stumbles and lurches enough to make reading aloud difficult. Nonetheless, the idea of worried and well-meaning dinosaurs rocking their progeny to sleep in the "Home Sweet Swamp," coupled with Chess's eccentric and endearing creatures, will tickle the funny fossil bones of parents and children alike. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2?A delightfully wacky description in verse of what baby dinosaurs do at bedtime. Sierra's silly poetry is the perfect medium for these sweet and funny vignettes. Chess's comforting watercolor cartoon illustrations are done in greens, browns, and grays. Clean squares of text complement each picture. A pleasant read at bedtime for dinosaur fans as well as those who need a chuckle at the end of the day.?Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039565016X
• ISBN-13: 978-0395650165
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,259,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up in a very creative, book-loving family. My father was a photographer, and my mother was a librarian. They read to me constantly, especially poetry. When I was seven, they built me a puppet theater and I gave my first performance, "The Three Wishes." In college I studied literature, and afterwards I became a children's librarian. A few years later, I set out on my own as a puppeteer, quickly joining forces with another puppet artist, who became my husband. We studied traditional puppetry in Indonesia, and traveled all over the U.S. as teachers and artists-in-residence. About twenty years ago, I combined what I had learned as an avid reader and writer, as a librarian and children's entertainer, and began writing books for children. All of my books are meant to be read aloud and dramatized. To learn more about how each of my books came to be, please visit my web site: http://www.judysierra.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo, Dinosaurs, June 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Good Night, Dinosaurs (Hardcover)

The imaginative story of Dinosaurs' bedtime rituals (neverbefore discovered), simultaneously introduces dinosaur names and theintricacies of poetry, backdropped by lullabies of soothing cadence.

Entertaining for pre-schoolers to college professors, "Good night, Dinosaurs" is a unique celebration of language and rhythm, matched with delightful illustrations by Victoria Chess.

This book has a wonderful complexity comprised of humorous couplets, alliteration and assonance, and changing patterns.

The colorfully detailed and textured pictures depict the fanciful and comical images that create a superior children's book--a pleasure for both the child and the adult.

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is hand crafted from sleep magic, November 21, 2008

By 

Eric Grisssom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Night, Dinosaurs (Paperback)

Kids love it, and the words and repetition of sound works magic- not unlike goodnight moon, only this time dinosaurs are involved.

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Funny Book, January 20, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Good Night, Dinosaurs (Hardcover)

We found this at the library and my two year old loves it so much that I came online to order it. We've only had the library version for 4 days and my daughter can already finish many of the lines from the book. The rhymes are charming, even if they aren't always perfect (or maybe it's my pronunciation of the dinosaur names that isn't perfect). There is a wonderful rhythm and repetition to the book that young children love, and the complicated names keep the adults on their toes. Just the right length before naptime. There are fun words for the little ones to practice like 'ooze', and we've already identified Jupiter and Mars. We have a planetarium in our dinosaur museum and this book brings home elements we have seen there.