Dinosaur Day Out*

Written and illustrated by Sara Acton

Reviewed by Kerry Neary

When the children in this story go walking through the park, they collect dinosaurs!  Dinosaur day out, whimsically written and illustrated by Sara Acton, is  a book on the Notables early childhood list. Sally and Max are visiting the museum and enjoy the interactive displays. Still, they can’t wait to see the dinosaur exhibit – but it’s closed. Not to be completely disappointed, Dad buys a dinosaur book and the family heads to the park to read it. There’s lots of open space to play in here, but Dad is so enthralled with his book, he doesn’t actually see what is going on around him. While dad will never know, Sally, Max and the reader have a great time finding out what dinosaurs get up to on their day off. The splashy watercolour style is ideal for this kind of story where children inhabit their world of imaginative play. Events happen suddenly; surprises come quickly; and the colour splash brings vitality and humour to the tale.

Walker Books australia 2018 Picture Book Hardback $24.99 32 pages Age 2+ ISBN: 9781760650049

* A 2019 Notable CBCA Early Childhood book