Throughout the How Do Dinosaurs series, prehistoric carnivores and herbivores have showed off some less-than-perfect behavior in modern settings. Now Yolen and Teague take the idea a bit farther: what about when a young dino (or human) is acting in a way that isn't just "bad" but dangerous? "If anyone dares him,/ does he always try/ to jump from the rooftop/ as if he could fly?" asks Yolen as a gigantosaurus perches tentatively atop a suburban home. As always, examples of better (and, in this case, safer) actions follow, and while Teague's illustrations generally play the situations for laughs, the book's seriousness of purpose won't be lost on readers. Ages 3-5. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

From the How Do Dinosaurs . . . ? series, this colorful picture book tackles the topic of safety. Does a dinosaur climb up too high? . . . jump on his bed? . . . race on his bike / with no helmet / on his head? Of course not! On the contrary, he holds Mama's hand when he crosses the street, and he would never go off with strangers. Though the text and large-scale paintings of the disobedient dinos are great fun, the later pages illustrating the virtuous beasts are even better. The friendly, elderly stranger, for example, is dwarfed by the enormous, intimidating dinosaur. This beloved series hit the ground running, and it's still going strong.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2014 Booklist

Officer Buckle had Gloria, his police canine, to help his audience see the value of his safety lessons; Yolen and Teague have their dinos. Addressing such perennial topics as jumping on the bed, climbing too high and stair safety, Yolen and Teague first present the dinos doing the wrong things, their faces plainly showing that they are surprised and scared by the world of hurt about to come their ways while caring (and dwarfed) loved ones freak out in the backgrounds. "Does he climb up too high? // Or jump on his bed? // Does he race on his bike with no helmet on head?" (Scansion is a bit of an issue.) Of course not! And though the text says that it will tell readers why, it doesn't, instead just explaining what the dinos do to stay safe. Among other things, Cearadactylus holds Mama's hand and crosses with the light, Majungasaurus swims where his papa can see him, Agustinia wears his bike helmet, and Concavenator brings water to drink on long hikes. As in previous outings, Teague's artwork steals the show, the realism of the scenes and human figures juxtaposed with the giant, though childish, dinos. Labels in the illustrations and endpapers will help dino mavens identify their favorites. Don'ts and Do's in a familiar formula go down easily for fans and will provide a good conversation starter for parents. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2-This much-needed addition to the series explores everyday situations. Yolen's rhyming text tackles recreational safety ("He wears/a good helmet/when riding his bike/takes bottles of water/when on a long hike."), safety at home ("Is he rough with the cat?/Does he stand up/on chairs?/When Mama says 'No!'/does he run down the stairs?"), and a reminder that every "dinosaur" should know when and how to dial 911. Teague's bright illustrations are wonderfully whimsical, with colorful dinosaurs taking up the bulk of the spreads. Their expressions, and those of the diverse humans, are a delight, from the worried looks of dinos behaving unsafely to the loving looks of caregivers seeing their charges safe and having fun. Seasoned dinosaur enthusiasts will appreciate having the proper name for each creature included in the text and endpapers. Books on safety can verge on didactic, but not this simple, lovely title-it's all sorts of fun. An excellent addition to all picture book collections.-Amy Koester, Learning Experiences Department, Skokie PL (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

With familiar dashes of humor and whimsy, the latest entry in the series implores little dinosaurs to "stay safe and play safe." Teague's oil paintings reinforce the rhyming text's recommended guidelines, while the dinosaurs' out-of-proportion physical presence gently over-emphasizes each point. Young humans will laugh along at the dinos' antics, and caregivers will appreciate the opportunity for further conversations. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.