Harry and the Dinosaurs Go To School - Hardcover

Whybrow, Ian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375841806 ISBN 13: 9780375841804

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2007

Synopsis

It's the first day of school! Harry is nervous because he isn't sure what to expect. Triceratops is even more nervous, especially when Harry must leave the dinosaurs in the coatroom. But soon Harry sees another boy who is the most nervous of all. He clings to his toy bulldozer and won't talk to anyone in the class. Harry wonders what he can do. Perhaps the new boy will talk to dinosaurs. . . .

About this title

About the Author

Ian Whybrow loved everything about his first school. He particularly enjoyed the taste of ink and the precious minutes spent in Mrs. Latymer's office having an orange crayon removed from his nostril. Since then he has written numerous books for children, ranging from picture books to poetry to novels. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Herefordshire, England.

Adrian Reynolds was born in Castell-nedd, South Wales, and he wasn't too impressed with school on the first day. When the bell rang for lunch, he walked back home on his own. (He was four.) He was very disappointed to find himself being returned for the afternoon. Later he studied at the Swansea College of Art and at Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology. He lives in Cambridge.

Reviews

PreSchool-Grade 1—Harry is excited about starting school, but his dinosaurs are nervous. A misunderstanding (the teacher thinks that the bucket in which they reside is his lunch) leads to Harry becoming separated from his toys, so he is unhappy in his new classroom. He takes pity on Jack, another boy who is even unhappier. Harry shares his dinosaurs after he gets them back, and the boys learn to enjoy school and become friends. The watercolor and line illustrations have more life than the story, but they seem to have only two expressions with which to reveal many emotions. The theme of overcoming difficulties through reaching out to others is well done, but some stray story threads give the book a disjointed feel. A gratuitous sibling rivalry scene adds nothing but the word "stupid" and a display of Harry's temper. His friend Charlie is mentioned on the first page and again on the last, but not in between. (Charlie is pictured but, as readers don't learn that the friend is a girl until the end, it is not immediately obvious.) The text on the playground page reads, "Harry sort of liked the playground….But it wasn't much fun," which muddies the story.—June Wolfe, Bushnell-Sage Library, Sheffield, MA
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Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0375841806
• ISBN 13: 9780375841804
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Reynolds Adrian
• Number of pages: 32