Saturday, April 19, 2014

There's a Dinosaur in my Bathtub by Catalina Echeverri

Hello! My name is Amelia and I have something very important to tell you. Shhh!
It's a secret so you mustn't tell anyone in the whole wide world. Promise? OK, so (and I'm whispering so no one else can hear) there's a dinosaur in my bathtub. His name is Pierre and he comes from France. We have lots of fun adventures together. Would you like to travel to the moon with us? Or share our giant ice cream? You would! Then what are you waiting for?



Star Rating


I received this book from Bloomsbury for an open and honest review. 

Here we are with another book review from my Year 2 class! Overall they loved this short story from Catalina Echeverri and after much to-ing and fro-ing decided on a four star rating. I say to-ing and fro-ing because one child was particularly adamant that this story would have been better if the dinosaur was Spanish, not French! When asked why he replied, 'because a French dinosaur is silly.' Amazing! 

This story draws young children in well from the title page with Amelia whispering, 'I have something very important to tell you. SHHH! It's a secret so you mustn't tell anyone in the whole world... OK?' A recipe for success in any children's book is when the character speaks directly to the child, pulling them in and making them feel like they are part of the action. My class were eager to find out Amelia's secret and were amused to find out that the dinosaur was called Pierre from France. 

The story goes on to explain what life is like for Amelia living with a dinosaur. All of the children in my class expressed their wish to have a pet dinosaur particularly when it takes you to 'lands where the trees are made from candyfloss and where you can be taken on a sweetie tasting tour by a jelly bear in a cowboy hat.'

Throughout the book, Amelia and Pierre go on many adventures together that had my children gasping in delight. The final pages end with Amelia tucked up in bed and resulted in a class debate as to whether Pierre was real or it had all been a dream. The general consensus was that it had possibly been a dream but the children hoped, for Amelia's sake, that it had all been true. 

This is a entertaining, sweet story about friendship and adventure. The illustrations are fantastic , particularly the page where Pierre packs his suitcase to return home. Who would have known a dinosaur's favourite food could be super MEGA extra cheesy popcorn? 

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