Dragons vs Dinos. (Race Ahead with Reading). Ann Bryant. Illustrated by Ben Redlich. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2015. 32 pp., pbk., hc., pdf & html, $10.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-1329-6 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-1328-9 (RLB.), ISBN 978-1-4271-7777-3 (pdf), ISBN 978-1-4271-7765-0 (html). Subject Headings: Dragons-Fiction. Dinosaurs-Fiction. Friendship-Fiction. Grades 1-3 / Ages 5-8. Review by Linda Ludke. *** /4

excerpt:

Bobbyraptor had slipped away from the other dinosaurs. He was hiding in the forest high on Scarytops Mountain. Stamping his feet and thudding his tail, he sent a secret message to his best friend. He had barely finished when he heard Papasaurus Rex calling out from below.

“Bobby? Where are you? Come on. It’s time for dragon scaring!”

On Scarytops Mountain, the dinosaurs plot ways to scare their foes, the dragons. Over at Flames-Are-Us Volcano, the dragons hatch their own sneaky plans. With much hullabaloo, the dinos pound their feet and the dragons breath fire and flap their wings. In the midst of this hurly burly, Bobbyraptor finds a lost little dragon. Mamasaurus’ motherly instinct takes over, and the dinosaur family safely delivers the scared little dragon home. Ever grateful, Mama Dragon talks to Mamasaurus for the first time and discovers, despite outward appearances and long-held misconceptions, that they have lots in common. Both admit their battles are all just bluster and neither side would ever hurt anyone - “not even a fly”. After declaring a truce, the youngsters (and long-time secret friends) confess to devising the scheme to bring everyone together.

     Ben Redlich’s colourful cartoon illustrations are full of funny details. Bobbyraptor sports snazzy purple sneakers as he tiptoes away to meet his pal. Young dragon Titch has a toothy grin and gigantic diapers secured with a safety pin.

     This entry in the “Race Ahead with Reading” series is a fun book for beginning readers. Five brief chapters are presented in large print, with double spacing. There’s lots of repetition in the vocabulary, and many words that are easily sounded out. An end note offers some book-based extension ideas.

Recommended.

Linda Ludke is a librarian in London, ON.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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