I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur [Hardcover]

Stella Blackstone (Author), Clare Beaton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

If you could be a dinosaur, which would you be? Would you roar like the ferocious T-Rex? Or soar overhead like the pterodactyl? In this playful early-learning book, Stella Blackstone s lyrical, rhyming text takes readers on an unforgettable Jurassic journey, while fabric artist Clare Beaton recreates the prehistoric world of dinosaurs using a colorful array of felt, sequins, beads and buttons.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–Fantastical dinosaurs in a medley of plush hues are introduced in this charming picture book. The narrator begins by stating, I dreamt I was a dinosaur./You should have seen me romp and roar! Creatures created out of antique fabrics, felt, and other bric-a-brac cavort across the spreads; chomp on dyed yarn grass; forage for food among lacey flowers and ribboned stems; and swoop across the sky next to a sequined lava-spewing volcano. The sweet and simple text keeps the rhythm moving and works well with the art, always complementing and never competing for space. The pictures really do steal the show, though, with their incredible detail and inventiveness. Sequins have never looked so good. A small snail, hidden on each page, also entices readers to pore over the pages. At the end, the young narrator is seen in his bed, clutching his toy dinosaur. Then everybody disappeared–the dinosaurs had fled./Just my baby diplodocus lay beside me in my bed. A turn of the page reveals a plethora of information that will hold the attention of dinosaur fans. Even better are the Meet the Dinosaurs pages that identify the reptiles from the story, offering pronunciation guides and brief facts on each. This is easily one of the most adorable dinosaur books out there for the preschool-primary crowd.–Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY
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Review

"This is easily one of the most adorable dinosaur books out there for the preschool- primary crowd." --School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841482382
• ISBN-13: 978-1841482385
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,027,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stella Blackstone has written many bestselling titles for Barefoot Books, including the popular Bear and Cleo series, An Island in the Sun, Secret Seahorse and Who Are You, Baby Kangaroo? Stella lives with her family in Somerset.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cute, but a little more advanced than I preferred., May 21, 2009

By 

Jennifer (Jacksonville, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur (Board book)

The felt dinosaurs are cute for sure, but the first time I read it I got hung up on some of the dinosaur names! YES! I DID! Now, I'm adult and I know my basic dinosaurs--which is what I expected to find in this book. First there was the Stegosaurus (okay, I know that one) but then came names like Camarasaurus (huh?) and the Parasaurolophus (whoa, wait? huh? I couldn't even begin to pronounce that one!). There were some other basics like the Triceratops and the Pterodactyl...but then instead of calling it a Tyrannosaurus (a real name like the others), they simply call him Rex the Wrecker.

So, while the book was cute, I have to only give it three stars because of the (in my opinion) way too advanced dinosaur names. For a kiddie book like this, I would have expected something a little more conventional.

**NOTE: I didn't pay close enough attention to the Editorial Review... In it, it says "A turn of the page reveals a plethora of information that will hold the attention of dinosaur fans. Even better are the Meet the Dinosaurs pages that identify the reptiles from the story, offering pronunciation guides and brief facts on each." But that is for the HARDCOVER version only, not the boardbook version.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, May 12, 2007

By 

C. Minkler (Modesto, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur (Hardcover)

My 3 yr old loves this book. He loves to hear the story and the pictures are eye-catching. There's an adorable little snail that's hidden on each page and my son just thinks it's the neatest thing finding the snail each time we read the book together. I definitely recommend this book for any dinosaur lovin' toddler!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jurassic Park for Kids..., May 6, 2011

By 

D. Dunlap "Dave the Dad" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur (Paperback)

I loved dinosaurs as a kid, so I find this to be a fun book to read to my daughter. The thing is, my daughter is 9 months old, but she will stare at the pictures of this book while I read it to her- without trying to eat it. So there is something about the pictures and sound of the story that holds her attention. It's a quick read, and there is a hidden snail to find on every page that I think will be an added benefit to the story when she is older. I have but one complaint with the book... and I know this is super trivial (and maybe a little nerdy), but I don't like that Tyrannosaurus Rex is called "Rex the Wrecker." He's the only species that doesn't have his real name listed... but as she can't read yet, I get to call him whatever I like.