Guy Gilchrist's Tiny Dinos Sir Waldo's Island Adventure

In this book introducing the characters of the Tiny Dinos series, world-famous explorer Sir Waldo Rhumba comes upon six large eggs, from which soon emerge a sextet of dinosaur young: Ptery, Steggie, Plateo, Bronty, Triceratot and Rex. Rhumba outfits them with bonnets, diapers and rattles, teaches them to read and write and decides to forego his career to live with the six. This is insipid fare, redeemed only by its popular subject matter and by a sprinkling of the kinds of puns (""egg-static,'' ``dino-mite'') children enjoy. The plot is lightweight and yet rather involved, with a text that is long and in spots difficult for the intended audience. The cartoon illustrations come in garish tones, with dinos ranging from pink to purple to cobalt to green. They are crowded into many frames; and it becomes difficult to keep track of each dino by name. Companion titles are smaller in format and simpler, more age-appropriate in both text and illustration; they include Tiny Dinos ABC, Counting Tiny Dinos, Fun at the Beach and Playing Together. Ages 3-7. (March)