ALA Booklist
In a natural follow-up to How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad? (2013), Yolen and Teague show young children how to make up with their friends. Consistent with other entries in the How Do Dinosaurs series, the text in the first half of the book consists of questions ("Does he kick his friend's bike? / Does he egg his friend's door?"). Midway through comes the answer, a definitive "NO." The sentences that follow take on a polite tone: "He brings to the school a toy dragon and knight, / with a card that says, Really, I don't want to fight.'" Similarly, in the first half's rowdy illustrations, the big, toothy dinos appear bold, brash, and conniving, while later the same ones are depicted as polite, pleasantly surprised, and even bashful. Combining an appealing text with lively, accomplished paintings of dinosaurs acting up in spectacular ways, this large-format picture book is definitely fun. It's also unusual in that it offers tips for repairing a friendship, a useful skill at any age.
School Library Journal
(Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2016)
PreS-Gr 1 The latest addition to the series does not disappoint with this friendship-based tale. Like Yolen's other "How Do Dinosaurs" series titles, this picture book features comical rhyming, dinosaur identification, and a great moral lesson. The book starts by listing naughty deeds a dinosaur might commit, such as "Does he tear up a book that his friend let him take? Does he throw his friend's lunch box straight into the lake?" Halfway through the book, the line "Noa dinosaur doesn't. He won't even try." sets the tone for the remainder of the picture book. By listing good deeds a dinosaur does for his friends, even if they're fighting, Yolen provides a great takeaway message for preschoolers everywhere. Teague's oversize and colorful illustrations are a delight as always, and the dinosaur's facial expressions are a clear winner in this latest title. VERDICT Perfect for storytimes and one-on-one reading. Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library, WI