Dinosaur Surprise

In Baruzzi’s accordion style lift-the-flap board book, each page initially shows a tiny animal—like a butterfly, turtle, or jellyfish—with an accompanying line of introductory text. For example, paired with a tiny green snake is “Look out, little snake!” But once a reader unfolds the page (a nice variation on the more common flaps-that-flip-open interaction), the full illustration of what looked to be a snake exposes the middle body of a dinosaur: initially hidden by the flaps, there’s actually “a huge Kronosaurus in the water.” This delightful and unique take on the subject of dinosaurs is exciting in it’s reveal from little animal to dinosaur. The surprise found on each page—like that of “You could pet this hedgehog . . . but you wouldn’t want to pet this Parasaurolophus”—piques curiosity, especially with the discovery of less familiar dinosaurs included in this read. The illustrations are playful and simplified, rather than realistic, with basic, bold colors highlighted on each page. Some additional information on the dinosaurs included in the book could have added a fun touch and a deeper dive, but this primer is sure to be a hit for dinosaur lovers and novices alike.