Dinosaurs roam once more—in a selection of spring children's books.
Dinosaurs?!
Lila Prap
. North-South
, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7358-2284-9
The wisecracking chickens in this Slovenian import are initially skeptical that they're descended from dinosaurs (“Why didn't they call them terrible chickens
if they were our ancestors?”), but gradually warm to the idea. Prap's stylized dinosaurs appear with rough outlines against grainy backgrounds beside accessible descriptions of their attributes. The chickens' goofy running commentary further lightens the mood (“This one looks like a snake that has swallowed a turtle,” says a hen about the aquatic Elasmosaurus
). The irreverent tone should keep kids entertained as they learn about dinosaurs and their descendants. Ages 3–up. (Apr.)
