Book 80

How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?, written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press 2004

A few weeks ago I reviewed "How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?" and wrote that it was my favorite dinosaur book so far. It still is. However, I think "How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?" may be my son's favorite.

I'm still recovering from my badly broken leg, so although I can hobble around downstairs or upstairs wearing my boot and not using a crutch or a cane (I look like toddler walking!), and cannot go upstairs or downstairs without using a crutch or a cane and relying on the handrail. Therefore, I cannot carry anything upstairs or downstairs. I thought I was out of books downstairs to review until my son hunted through his library, found this book, and said "again". That "again" is the charm of this book.

The last question in this book is "Now that he's counted from one to ten, how does a dinosaur count again?" And the answer, which my son gave when he handed me this book, is "again". Next to "no", "again" and "more" are probably his favorite words. Because this book was written years before he was born, I'm guessing he is not alone in toddler world in favoring that word. And to have it at the end of a counting story, well, that's just perfection for him.

I love, love, love Mark Teague's illustrations (again!). My only complaint would be that he is so brilliant and I am so jealous -- but I can get over that and buy his brilliantly illustrated books.


*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why