ALA Booklist (Tue May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Though Pham conflates itch with tickle and even shooting pain in this tale of a young hadrosaur who sees a sign reading "DINOSAURS DO NOT SCRATCH" and goes to excruciating lengths to prove that they don't need to, it doesn't make the action any less comically frenetic. Having sternly forbidden other prehistoric passersby, even T. rex, from relieving minor scrapes, bee bites, or back itches, the officious dino backs up his assertion that dinosaurs are tough by refusing to scratch, despite being stroked by a feather, covered in prickly grass and then a wool sweater, or having an ant, a caterpillar, and even a cat chucked at him. Pham gives her dinos an anthropomorphic look, even dressing them in summer garb, and effectively cranks up the rising level of suspense with lightning bolts, bigger text, and increasingly frantic expressions so that fledgling readers themselves will be involuntarily shifting in discomfort. "A good book scratches an itch," notes Mo Willems' Piggie, cleverly summing up this new offering from the aptly named Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series.

Kirkus Reviews

In the latest Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! title, a troupe of dinosaurs confronts an existential quandary."Dinosaurs do not scratch" reads the legend on a rock behind a napping tortoise. A bespectacled dino in T-shirt and shorts muses, "You learn something new every day." It observes a triceratops about to scratch a scab and stops it: "Dinosaurs are TOUGH! We do not scratch!" It similarly corrects a pterodactyl with a bee sting, a sauropod with an itchy back, and a T. Rex with an irritating tag in the collar of its shirt. Demonstrating its toughness, it submits to various itch-producing indignities, including a wool sweater, "hair from my last haircut," and a cat, and despite obviously mounting distress does not scratch. At this point, the tortoise gets up and moves away, revealing a concluding "alone" etched in the rock. Naturally, all the discussion of itching and not scratching has caused everyone to feel "ITCHY!"; happily, these dinosaurs are not alone, so they indulge in a massive orgy of scratching, the relief it brings signaled with cool blues that replace the itchy reds that had predominated. The silly premise and equally silly treatment are carried out in the series' signature format, color-coded speech bubbles providing cues to both speakers and mood. The question of "why dinosaurs do not scratch alone" is never answered, but that's hardly the point.Guaranteed to get readers giggling (and scratching). (Early reader. 5-9)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Behind the giggles offered by this easy reader in the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading line, a provocative question lurks: do those with authority really know what-s going on? Words carved into a stone catch the attention of a bespectacled dinosaur, who reads them aloud: -Dinosaurs do not scratch.- A bright green triceratops reaches down to itch its knee. The first dinosaur points to the stone: -Dinosaurs are tough! We do not scratch!- More itchy dinosaurs appear-friendly, childlike reptiles in t-shirts and shorts-and the dinosaur with glasses cites the rule again. -Tough dinosaurs do not scratch!- he exhorts. The action doubles down as the urge to itch deepens, and the first dinosaur works hard to keep his friends on the straight and narrow. Suddenly, a turtle sleeping in front of the rock moves, revealing another word. Surprise! The stone actually says, -Dinosaurs do not scratch alone.- It-s okay to itch after all! Writing exclusively in dialogue, Pham (the Vampirina Ballerina series) imbues her spreads with fizzy energy. Ages 6-8. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (May)

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

A turtle snoozes in front of a rock that reads, "Dinosaurs Do Not Scratch." With instant, uncompromising absorption of that message, and self-justification regarding the virtues of "toughness," a passing dinosaur kid spreads the word. A twist ending clarifies the message (somewhat). The easy reader's all-dialogue text and bubbly cartoon-style illustrations have kid appeal, and the implicit issues surrounding individuality and questioning authority are broached at a child-comprehending level.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

PreS-Gr 2 This book combines two of children's favorite fixations"Elephant & Piggie" and dinosaursinto a funny story that plays around with a relatable problem. Similar to other books in the series, the beloved duo introduce the story. They begin with their usual humor by describing this book as one that will "make you feel things all over." Pham begins the main story with Dino Mo reading a sign stating, "Dinosaurs do not scratch." The other dinosaurs, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, Brontosaurus, and T-Rex have an itch, but no matter how they try to convince Dino Mo that it is okay to scratch he is not budging from his stance that "Dinosaurs do not scratch." He is absolutely resolute. Not even an itchy wool sweater can persuade Mo it is okay to scratch. Children will enjoy the brightly colored dinosaurs and appreciate the word-bubble writing style. VERDICT Fans of "Elephant & Piggie" will love the humor and satire in this engaging easy reader. Those itching for winning selections for newly independent readers will be especially grateful. Jewelee Painter, Springfield Elementary School, Rilleyville, VA