At Christmas, the one present Max wanted from Santa (whose lap he refused to sit on) was a blue dinosaur. We searched everywhere for a blue dinosaur. I went to five stores in one day. My husband went to several more throughout December. We finally gave him Rex from Toy Story, even though he’s green. Luckily, Max was cool with it (mostly because Rex snaps when you make him sit down).
One of the wonderful women I work with tried her best to help, calling her son to search through his old toys for the elusively colored reptile. While they didn’t end up finding the toy, she did find a book that she passed onto us, “Ten Terrible Dinosaurs” by Paul Stickland.
The book focuses on counting, starting with ten dinosaurs and easing its way down to ten. The final dinosaur left over is … wait for it … a blue one!
Besides learning to count, readers of this book are also introduced to some fun adjectives: terrible, enormous, spiky, elated, silly, goofy, stomping, crazy, fearless, thundering, testy, and weary.
We had two favorite parts. My mom and I both laughed when we got to a page that said: “‘Quiet down!’ yelled someone’s mom.” and Max REALLY enjoyed the final page, where one dinosaur is surprised by something the rest of the dinosaurs yell at him. Funny how those two moments are diametrically opposites!
We quite enjoyed this book, which certainly deserved 5 snacks:
My daughter has been getting enthusiastic about dinosaurs. I, of course, am delighted. Dinosaurs are awesome–and I remember having my own obsession when I was a kid (memorizing their names, having coloring books and figurines and being chock full o’ dino trivia). This sounds like a fun book, and I like the backwards counting concept.
We have a dino fixation in our house too- this book looks wonderful! Glad Max got his blue dinosaur. 🙂
Very cute – we love dinosaur books, too!
Love the colors of the dinosaur in this book! So sorry you didn’t find the right color dinosaur. I remember going on hunts like that.
Sounds like a FUN book 🙂 and am sure Max loved the end as well looking lovingly at his favorite colored dino!
-Reshama @ Stackingbooks
Paul Stickland’s Dinosaur books are brilliant for kids. Glad your son finally had his blue dinosaur. #kidlitbloghop
oh my son Miles would go crazy over this book!
LOL this sounds hilarious Jaymie. So funny how they get an idea in their head and that is all they want. So delighted you found the blue dinosaur, and at the bottom of a book, hurrahhhh. Thanks for hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop
this sounds like another great dinosaur book…must check it out. I also love when new and expressive vocabulary is introduced to kids…which is why reading is so important.
This books sounds great! My 3 year old always wants to know how the characters in books are feeling.
That shows a lot of empathy!
I love Ten Terrible Dinosaurs! Paul Strickland’s dinosaur books are the best. 🙂
I agree!
Oh yes! We have this one too – my son still loves it! Thanks for sharing in the Kid Lit Blog Hop
I’m sure it will have a long life in our house too!
Hopping a little later than usual. Love the pictures in this one. Cheryl, Hop Hostess
Me too, Cheryl! Thanks for visiting.