Baobao’s fave is one of mine, too! (Thank god)
Ne touche jamais un dinosaure!
2018, Petis Génis
Illustrated by Stuart Lynch (no author listed, strangely enough)
It might seem odd that the first book I am reviewing here is one written in French, but Mama Raven and I have every intention that Baobao will be not bilingual, but trilingual, so we have decided to start early.
Ne touche jamais un dinosaure! is pretty much everything that most of the really early books we’ve so far picked up are not: well-written and funny. It is also blessed with illustrations that are both charming and imaginative — and yes, also funny.
Totalling 12 pages including covers, each colourful illustration of a dinosaur includes a soft plastic or latex element to attract your child’s fingers while you read her the text.
Though we’ve read it together almost daily for a couple of months now, Baobao continues to bring it to me for another go-through and — blessings! — I continue to enjoy reading it to her.
There is no plot, of course, only a brief series of delightful paintings of dinosaurs (each with a tactile bit — armoured plates on the spine, big white horns, tummy), and nicely rhythmic exhortations not to touch those same dinosaurs, lest you be “… dévorer pour souper!” (eaten for supper!) and other warnings along similar lines.
Ne touche jamais un dinosaure! is a minor delight. It has been a favourite of Baobao’s for at least a couple of months, and I have yet to grow (too) tired of reading it to her.
