Three Little Dinosaurs, The
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Three young Brachiosaurs go off to live on their own after being warned by their mother to watch out for the "big bad Tyrannosaurus rex." The first two do not build sturdy homes and the T-Rex demolishes them. Luckily, the dinosaurs escape to their brother's solid rock house, which the big bully can not blow down. The three live safely while Rex, with his peanut-sized brain, takes "years" to devise a plan to break into the house. After finally destroying it, he looks for the little dinos, only to find that they have grown into huge reptiles that tower over him. He runs off and is never seen again. This variation of a favorite nursery tale has charming illustrations. The little dinosaurs are lovable while the Tyrannosaurus is a suitable ogre. Deep greens and browns abound. The humorous text depicts these modern beasts playing video games, ordering pizza, and talking about insurance. When librarians can get this book out of the hands of dinosaur lovers, it can be used for fractured fairy-tale fun along with Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Viking, 1989).Anne Knickerbocker, Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TXCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.