Review by Booklist Review
Laurie Krasny Brown and her husband, Marc Brown, again join forces to introduce social and behavioral concepts to young readers through the dependable lens of dinosaurs. They approach the idea of democracy by breaking it into key values kids will recognize in everyday life. Examples of sharing lead to the larger ideas of inclusion, kindness, respect, and equal rights and how, by extension, kid citizens should "look out for all your neighbors." The approachable illustrations implement cheery comics panels featuring anthropomorphized dinosaurs in a variety of relatable scenarios to explain fairness and its relationship to rules and laws, voting as a means of choosing and expressing individual opinions, and the tricky differences between truth, opinion, and belief. The final core concept is that of free speech, which draws upon many of the previous tenets. In the final three spreads, the Browns apply all of the above to democracy in the U.S., encouraging kid citizens to practice its principles in their own lives and be involved in their communities at any age.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--The team that produced the "Dino Tales: Life Guides for Families" series provides an introduction to civic values. Watercolor illustrations are paired with simple text that highlights important features of democracy, including equality, voting, elections, and freedom of speech. Readers will learn why it's important to treat people with respect, to look for truth in what they read, and to be honest with one another. The dinosaurs show readers how they can act out these principles of democracy at school and home, and also offer examples of how they can be active in the future. Overall, the book has some hits and misses. Sometimes it seems closer to a social-emotional resource than one that educates youngsters about the fundamentals of civic duty. In the "Be Honest" section, the reminder that "you are expected to be honest and tell the truth" is heavy-handed and out of place. The tone of these cartoon-style illustrations, paired with the overgeneralized text, could make it difficult for young readers to connect this narrative to their own experience and what it means to be a citizen. Issues of justice, equality, discrimination (a T. Rex is denied service in one illustration) could have benefited from more comprehensive coverage. VERDICT This glossy and overly simplified text has noble intentions but is a misleading introduction to democracy. Not recommended.--Louie Lauer, Jefferson Elem. Sch., Fargo, ND
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Review by Horn Book Review
Sharing, fairness, choice, respect, truthfulness -- most young people are well acquainted with these concepts; the Browns (Dinosaurs Divorce; Dinosaurs Go Green!; and many others) use these principles to help deliver an engaging civics lesson. The inviting second-person text speaks directly to "kid citizens," encouraging them to view themselves as participants in our government. The lively panel illustrations, featuring Marc Brown's green cartoon dinosaurs (back after a decade-plus hiatus), expand on Laurie Krasny Brown's text and add levity to the discussion. Each of nine sections focuses on a concept, relating it to daily life and then demonstrating how it manifests in a democracy. "Share Equal Rights" explains equality this way: "You probably know how it feels to be left out or included. Inviting kids into your game is also sharing." This leads to a broader interpretation: "Sharing also takes place in a country. When no one gets left out, then everyone has equal rights." Describing fairness as "a way of showing respect" and stating that "good rules help make fairness possible" lays the groundwork to talk about justice. Sections on how to be a judicious consumer of information ("Look for Truth") and what free speech means (including tips on "How to Have an Argument") should be required reading for all of us -- of any age. This optimistic and accessible guide to civic responsibility concludes with the charge to "Stand Up for Democracy" -- a message now more important than ever. "Words for Kid Citizens to Know" are appended. Kitty Flynn September/October 2020 p.112(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
