PreS-Gr 1-A boy goes to the new Dino Pets store and walks home with the biggest dinosaur available. However, when he discovers that the creature can't fit into his house, he returns to the shop (receipt in hand) to get another pet, "the fastest dino/I could get." Unfortunately, this one dons size 55 sneakers and runs away. Next, he chooses the longest dino for sale, with equally unhappy results, and so on, until the store's stock is depleted. The youngster sadly returns home only to find that the creatures are all there, waiting for him. The simple story is told in rhyming couplets that don't always scan well, and the rhymes are occasionally stretched (e.g., "pocket" and "locked it"). The highlight of the tale is the skillfully rendered and entertaining double-page artwork, which is similar in tone and appearance to Mark Teague's illustrations in Jane Yolen's "How Do Dinosaurs" books (Scholastic). The longest dinosaur allows himself to be used as a piece of playground equipment for climbing, swinging, and sliding children. The scariest dino bursts into tears when it observes the boy's family running away in terror. Brief facts about the featured species are appended. Despite the text's uneven cadence, the subject matter and humorous art will appeal to children.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A child choosing a pet dinosaur finds that the largest, fastest, and scariest dinosaurs all prove unsuitable in one way or another. However, by the end, the dino pets have all come home to roost. Though the rhythm falters, the rhyming text is cheery. Kendall's illustrations of cuddly dinosaurs also keep things light. Facts about real dinosaurs are appended. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Dinosaur lovers' imaginations soar with this inventive flight of fancy from Plourde. A very lucky little boy just happens to have a Dino Pets store in his town . . . and parents willing to own a dinosaur. He chooses the biggest dinosaur, but when it won't fit through his door, back to the store he goes. The fastest one runs away, and he keeps stepping on the longest one's tail. Problems abound with each new dino pet, from the softest to the smallest, down to the scariest, until finally, there are no more dinosaurs to choose from. Sadly, the little boy returns home . . . to find all the dinos gathered there--"Look! My dino pets all came home! No one likes to sleep alone." The rhyming text and Kendall's wonderfully creative illustrations will keep young readers riveted, while even the most avid dinosaur fans will likely learn something new, as very few of these are commonly known. The final pages name the dinosaurs featured in the text, with the caveat that paleontologists learn more each day and the longest, softest, etc. may change in the future. A great one to pair with Bernard Most's work, dinosaur fans will revel in the possibilities. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.