Dinos Don't Give Up!

4.0

0.0 (0)

530 0

Write Review Add to favorites

Author(s)

Smriti Prasadam-Halls

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Richard Merritt

Publisher

Tiger Tales

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

July 12, 2022

ISBN

978-1680102888

Buy This Book

A humorous, rhyming dinosaur tale about determination and learning that having fun isn’t always about being the best.

Diplodocus Dinah is great at everything! She is an excellent speller; she plays piano; she paints masterpieces; and she knits. There's nothing she can't do and no competition she can't win. But when the Surfing Contest comes to Dino Town, Dinah discovers that surfing is something she just can’t do! For the first time ever, Dinah doesn’t win a competition. Will she be devastated? Or will she decide that there’s more to having fun than winning? A fun, humorous story about perseverance, and learning that you might not always be the best.

Editor review

1 review

charming picture book about trying again

September 04, 2022

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

DINOS DON'T GIVE UP! is an overall cute story about trying your best. Dinah the Dino is great at everything she does, so when she sees a surfing competition, she decides to enter. She knows she'll win, even though she hasn't been on a surfboard before. Dinah is surprised when she learns it is actually something much harder than she expected, and she comes in last place. Luckily, her friends are there to give her a hug, and Dinah decides to hop back on the board and try again for fun.

What I loved: This book has some great messages around not being the best at everything and trying again. The rhyming text rolls off the tongue nicely and is a fun one to read aloud. Colorful illustrations and adorable dinosaurs will appeal to toddlers and preschoolers. Dinah is a fun main character who has some new things to learn. Children will enjoy the story as well as the clever rhymes throughout with this entertaining dino surfing competition.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, the message about perseverance doesn't totally come across, as she begins to give it more tries at the end of the book. I suppose some of it is her keeping trying during the race, but it would have been great to see her continue to learn beyond the race and eventually improve.

Final verdict: With fun rhymes and bright colors, DINOS DON'T GIVE UP is an entertaining picture book about trying again and being okay with coming in last sometimes.