ALA Booklist

"Ten striding velociraptors (and one looming predator)." So begins this countdown book that includes both the familiar (Tyrannosaurus) and unfamiliar (Parasaurolophus) and demands careful discrimination between such similar types as Deinosuchus and Deinonychus. Delightfully colorful verbs describe the dinosaurs' actions (lazing, soaring, lumbering) and introduce scientific concepts ("munching herbivores"). Illustrated in earth tones, the dinosaurs are in all manners of striped and polka-dotted patterns, subtly emphasizing that no one really knows what dinosaurs' colors were. Stark against clean white backgrounds, the animals are easy to count. Two spreads even introduce addition: "Seven sauntering parasaurolophus (and what's that flying overhead?)." With the clever inclusion of zero, Oldland both emphasizes an important mathematical concept and the scientific concept of extinction. A worthy addition to the dinosaur collection. But here's a tip: before storytime, adults will want to check out the pronunciation key at the end of the book.

Horn Book

Ten / striding velociraptors / (and one looming predator) / Nine / lazing deinosuchus.

Kirkus Reviews

Oldland provides dinosaur lovers who are learning to count down from 10 with some fodder, but there is no story here, nor a capital letter to speak of. Beginning with 10 and counting down to "none / no dinosaurs / (they're extinct, silly!)," Oldland presents readers with some good word choices and vocabulary: towering, lumbering, rearing. The eight "munching herbivores" have plants in their mouths, but the four "roaring carnivores" just have open mouths full of teeth. Sadly, a glossary is lacking. The featured species include Deinosuchus, pterodactyls, Deinonychus, Tyrannosaurus and Stegosaurus. The black-outlined Photoshopped dinosaurs will be the draw for kids. Patterned in earth tones of greens, browns and tans, they feature dots, stripes and splotches, along with somewhat goofy (and toothy) grins. They are easy to count against the stark white background, although some pages have more than the stated number: "ten / striding velociraptors / (and one looming predator)" and "seven / sauntering parasaurolophus / (and what's that flying overhead?)." The creatures fill each spread, with the numeral in the top left-hand corner, the text on the right. A pronunciation guide is given, but parents just joining the dino bandwagon will have to flip back and forth, as it is on the last page, and, unfortunately, there is no further information about the dinosaurs. Large collections with popular dinosaur sections may want to add this, but otherwise, it is one to miss. (Picture book. 2-5)

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

Oldland (Big Bear Hug) offers a bare-bones (no pun intended) counting book that features an array of dinosaurs as it works its way down from -ten striding velociraptors (and one looming predator)- to zero: -no dinosaurs (they-re extinct,