09/21/2020
In the latest installment of the Dino-Holidays series, a jaunty rhyme scheme (“Out back, little cousins play:/ Ping-pong, tag, and lawn croquet./ Raptor helps them fly a kite./ They’re building up an appetite!”) and bright digital illustrations depict dinosaurs coming together in chaotic community to observe Thanksgiving. The dinos, it turns out, celebrate much the same way humans do: visiting family; watching the annual Thanksgiving parade and football games; cooking and eating a variety of dishes, including “turkey, stuffing, pie, and more”; and gathering around a bonfire with their community. Colorful typography emphasizes the names of dinosaurs based on their species (Compy, Tricera, Pteros, etc.), though the full names of species are never clarified. While the holiday’s grim origins are largely omitted, aside from a parade balloon wearing a Puritan’s hat, the mention of football team “the Redscales” strikes a problematic note. Even so, this glimpse of prehistoric reptiles giving thanks should entertain young dinosaur fans. Ages 5–9. (Sept.)
