When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death (Dino Life Guides for Families) (Paperback)

~ Laurie Krasny Brown (Author), (Illustrator) "Every single living being has a beginning, a time to be alive, and then an ending, or death..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

PW gave a starred review to this "balanced, comprehensive and age-appropriate" explanation of death and its emotional aftermath, featuring the amiable cast from Dinosaurs Divorce. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. Unlike many books on death for little ones, this one doesn't tell a story. Instead, it addresses children's fears and curiosity head-on, and in a largely secular fashion, by answering some very basic questions: "Why does someone die?" "What does dead mean?" "What comes after death?" Other questions deal with emotions, and there's a section about death customs (the weakest part of the book). The forthright approach makes the subject seem less mysterious and provides kids with plenty to think about and discuss with their parents. It's the brightly colored artwork, however, that will really enable children to relax with the concept. The pictures are filled with homey clutter and familiar detail, and the activities of the appealingly quirky characters (who resemble dinosaurs in only the broadest way) add a strong, comforting sense of what can only be called normalcy. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316119555
• ISBN-13: 978-0316119559
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,541 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars When Dinosaurs Die, February 1, 2000

By A Customer

I bought this book to help answer my 4 year olds questions about death. I felt this book is too much information for that age. She needed answers not new fears. This book brings up suicide and drug abuse. More appropraite for an older child.The book "Lifetimes" was exactly what I needed.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To the point, August 25, 2004

By	A. Decourcey (Colorado USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Don't buy this non-sentimental look at death if your favorite book is Love You Forever.

If however, you want something that doesn't dwell excessively upon emotions, that discusses lucidly what death is and what it means, then this is an excellent choice. A parent trying to explain death to a child doesn't need a book full of emotional upheaval or roundabout references to death.

Of course there are flaws. But this book isn't about leaves, about dogs, cats or focussed on the death of an older person. It covers all areas adeptly. I liked it for the slightly distanced look at a subject that evokes a tremendous surge of feelings.

I bought it as a gift for a recently bereaved family (lost daddy). I plan on buying another copy for my family so the topic of death is covered before I'm too distraught to carefully guide my kids through that scene.

Very highly recommended.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple help with a difficult subject, May 30, 2000

By	[e-mail] (Seal Beach, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death (Hardcover)

Explaining death to a child is never easy for an adult, but the Browns' book really helps. You'll find difficult concepts made much simpler with colorful illustrations that remind the child of the "Arthur" cartoon series which the author also created.

The kids with whom I have worked professionally have loved the little green dinosaurs who experience and express the same thoughts and feelings. When I talked to my daughter's preschool class a few years back after the class hamster died, I used parts of this book in my explanation.

The brilliance of the Browns' concept is that one doesn't have to read the book straight through. A parent or teacher can choose to use two or three pages. In fact, each two-page spread tends to develop a specific concept such as funerals, cause of death, what death means, etc.

As a matter of fact, this would be a nice addition to elementary school libraries and classrooms, especially when discussing the death part of their living things science units.

It's interesting in my own professional library that this book takes its place right along with all of the academic volumes on death, bereavement, and counseling theory!