The Dinosaur Museum

October 1, 2010
Grades K-2 Dinosaur books are a dime a dozen, but this entry in the My Community series stakes a place by centering action not back in the Jurassic period but in a place kids can visit: the local museum. The left-hand-text, right-hand-photo pattern continues to be a serviceable format for the youngest readers, and the clear font, colorful layout, and glossy photos make the most of this traditional setup. Whats most delightful about the museum images are the juxtapositions of the fantastic (a giant dinosaur skeleton) paired with the mundane (a guy on a stepladder using a vacuum to clean the bones). The first and last pages of the book recede from this focus at their own peril, and theres at least one spread that promises something not all museums can deliver: In a dinosaur museum, you can touch real dinosaurs, Macken writes alongside a photo of a lucky girl touching a dinosaur skull. A solid effort, though, and backed with a picture glossary, quiz, and ideas for parents and teachers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)