Can I Bring My Pterodactyl to School, Ms. Johnson? (Prehistoric Pets)
PreSchool-Grade 2–A boy pleads with his teacher to let him bring to school the prize he won in a magazine contest–a pterodactyl. He cites the many advantages: bullies would be put in their place; the school band could be sheltered from the rain under its wings, and, if the heat were out, the dinosaurs wings could create a cozy blanket around the class. There would be no need to go to the museum, and bus trips would be a thing of the past since the pterodactyl could ferry a whole class on its back. After running through the positives, the boy suddenly realizes that he is winning a woolly mammoth and the book ends with him ready to list the advantages of that beast. The illustrations, done in transparent dyes, depict a character much older than the preschooler featured in GramblingsCan I Have a Stegosaurus, Mom? Can I? Please!?(1997) andCan I Have a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dad? Can I? Please!?(2000, both Bridgewater). Since most kids dont take a pet to school to stay, this title lacks the compelling reason to keep a dinosaur as a pet that was found in the earlier titles. This slight and lengthy tale wont make the grade for even the most avid dinosaur fans.–Marge Loch-Wouters, Menashas Public Library, WICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.