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Dad and the Dinosaur
A heartwarming father-son story about bravery and facing fears.
Nicholas was afraid of the dark outside his door, the bushes where the giant bugs live, and the underside of manhole covers.
His dad was not afraid of anything.
Nicholas wants to be as brave as his dad, but he needs help. That's why he needs a dinosaur. After all, dinosaurs like the dark, bugs are nothing to them, and they eat manhole covers for lunch (and everything under them for dinner).
With his toy dinosaur, Nicholas can scale tall walls, swim in deep water, even score a goal against the huge goalie everyone calls Gorilla. But when the dinosaur goes missing, everything is scary again.
Luckily, his dad knows that even the bravest people can get scared, and it's okay to ask for help facing your fears. It's just guy stuff.
A family classic in the making from the dream team of Newbery Honor-winner Gennifer Choldenko and Caldecott Medal-winner Dan Santat.
"[Choldenko's] knowing, understated storytelling and Santat's warm, expressive spreads give full credence to the fears that weigh on kids, as well as the presences both real and imagined that can help alleviate them." Publishers Weekly(starred review)"
Nicholas was afraid of the dark outside his door, the bushes where the giant bugs live, and the underside of manhole covers.
His dad was not afraid of anything.
Nicholas wants to be as brave as his dad, but he needs help. That's why he needs a dinosaur. After all, dinosaurs like the dark, bugs are nothing to them, and they eat manhole covers for lunch (and everything under them for dinner).
With his toy dinosaur, Nicholas can scale tall walls, swim in deep water, even score a goal against the huge goalie everyone calls Gorilla. But when the dinosaur goes missing, everything is scary again.
Luckily, his dad knows that even the bravest people can get scared, and it's okay to ask for help facing your fears. It's just guy stuff.
A family classic in the making from the dream team of Newbery Honor-winner Gennifer Choldenko and Caldecott Medal-winner Dan Santat.
"[Choldenko's] knowing, understated storytelling and Santat's warm, expressive spreads give full credence to the fears that weigh on kids, as well as the presences both real and imagined that can help alleviate them." Publishers Weekly(starred review)"
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2017
9 people are currently reading
864 people want to read
About the author
Gennifer Choldenko
43 books741 followersThere’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling.
What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.
While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.
One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.
I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.
What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.
While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.
One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.
I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
March 29, 2017
My department is pretty uniform in not liking this book!! I really didn't like the dad and the son both blowing off the mom (It's guy stuff; we won't tell her), the idea that fear/anxiety is something to hide, no recognition that it wasn't the dinosaur--he was brave himself, etc. I feel like this would seriously reinforce a lot of kids' anxieties, especially kids who had an anxiety disorder. The art was great, but honestly, I expect so much more from this author.
September 29, 2016
I read an early ARC of this picture book, and it's as wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated as one would expect from this team. But it also reinforces the idea of experiencing and admitting fear as unmasculine ("guy stuff," "don't tell mom"), which left a sour taste in my mouth, sweet and realistic though it may be.
June 12, 2018
This book has amazing illustrations that I could stare at all day. The use of color and shadow are perfection. The story is about Nate and his dinosaur that gives him strength to overcome scary things in life. A story that will resonate with parents and children alike.
September 27, 2017
This is the second picture book by Choldenko that I have read and come away feeling a little sick. Really didn't like "Putting the Monkeys to Bed". This one's worse. I think she should stick to longer fiction. It's not a healthy thing for kids to hide their fears. They should talk to their parents about them. BOTH their parents. FACELESS Dad in this book is a paragon of manhood. Caring mother whose face we do see gets blown off. The more I think about it the worse I feel this book is & don't think it belongs in anyone's collection.
Of course, Santat's artwork (except for that faceless Dad) is luminous and wonderful. I was going to give the book two stars just because of the artwork...but, no. Avoid at all costs.
Of course, Santat's artwork (except for that faceless Dad) is luminous and wonderful. I was going to give the book two stars just because of the artwork...but, no. Avoid at all costs.
April 3, 2017
I love how Gennifer Choldenko's newest picture book, Dad and the Dinosaur, normalizes fear, and lets us know that we can move forward. Gennifer Choldenko and Dan Santat are a terrific team here, showing Nicholas's courage as the dinosaur helps make him strong. The dinosaur is ginormous as it helps him score the winning soccer goal when he played against the goalie they called Gorilla.
Part of me expected the story to take the "tough love" approach when Nicholas loses his dinosaur. As an adult, I know that he really has the courage inside him to survive without his toy. And yet, Choldenko takes a different route--showing how accepting and supportive his dad is.
By taking his son to go find his dinosaur, Nicholas's dad sends the message that he believes in him. This acknowledges the child's reality and lets him overcome his fear in his own way. Best of all, it creates a bond between father and son, a trust that will help Nicholas keep finding courage in his own way.
Part of me expected the story to take the "tough love" approach when Nicholas loses his dinosaur. As an adult, I know that he really has the courage inside him to survive without his toy. And yet, Choldenko takes a different route--showing how accepting and supportive his dad is.
By taking his son to go find his dinosaur, Nicholas's dad sends the message that he believes in him. This acknowledges the child's reality and lets him overcome his fear in his own way. Best of all, it creates a bond between father and son, a trust that will help Nicholas keep finding courage in his own way.
June 23, 2017
This is a tough review for me, as I rarely rate picture books below par. My intention in reviewing a picture book a day is to focus on my favorites and new ones that I want to have a reference for in making sure I always use or have available in my classroom. I'm not here to rip on books or to be a difficult critic. I just can't help myself on this one, however, so I'm going put out some thoughts on just seeing this one widely available and reading it once.
PROS:
It's beautifully illustrated! The illustrations are gorgeous to look at and easily grasps attention of any reader - young child, student, wandering adult! The colors used go along with the moods and ideas of the characters too. It's really well thought out and impressively done. It really makes it hard to give a rough rating to a picture book that has such wonderful pictures!
I also like the fact that the focus is on a boy and his dad. The focus is on their relationship, and they deal with one another in a positive, endearing way. In their conversations, though, come for me, the . . .
CONS:
I'm trying really hard in my classroom, and as an educator, to promote and share books/stories/examples of anyone being able to accomplish anything they set their minds to regardless of race, religion, gender, or disability. It's so important to me. In terms of gender alone, it has become very aware to me of the difference in books led by a positive female character in comparison to ones with a positive male character. I'm trying very hard to find books I believe in strongly featuring females, and remove any I question with regards to messages conveyed.
This comes down to why I have a problem with this one. In trying to present a book about a boy and his dad, and their strong bond and relationship together (all of this would've been wonderful!), the dialogue turns to make their case of a relationship because it's a "boy thing." In reading this through once, I was very surprised of the message conveyed. Maybe in doing these reviews, I'm becoming harder to please and looking at things a bit too closely, but I just was very disappointed in this one. I don't think a book about a father and son and their relationship needs to have their bond explained as being a boy thing versus a girl thing. This is the problem I have with this one and why I didn't like it or purchase it.
PROS:
It's beautifully illustrated! The illustrations are gorgeous to look at and easily grasps attention of any reader - young child, student, wandering adult! The colors used go along with the moods and ideas of the characters too. It's really well thought out and impressively done. It really makes it hard to give a rough rating to a picture book that has such wonderful pictures!
I also like the fact that the focus is on a boy and his dad. The focus is on their relationship, and they deal with one another in a positive, endearing way. In their conversations, though, come for me, the . . .
CONS:
I'm trying really hard in my classroom, and as an educator, to promote and share books/stories/examples of anyone being able to accomplish anything they set their minds to regardless of race, religion, gender, or disability. It's so important to me. In terms of gender alone, it has become very aware to me of the difference in books led by a positive female character in comparison to ones with a positive male character. I'm trying very hard to find books I believe in strongly featuring females, and remove any I question with regards to messages conveyed.
This comes down to why I have a problem with this one. In trying to present a book about a boy and his dad, and their strong bond and relationship together (all of this would've been wonderful!), the dialogue turns to make their case of a relationship because it's a "boy thing." In reading this through once, I was very surprised of the message conveyed. Maybe in doing these reviews, I'm becoming harder to please and looking at things a bit too closely, but I just was very disappointed in this one. I don't think a book about a father and son and their relationship needs to have their bond explained as being a boy thing versus a girl thing. This is the problem I have with this one and why I didn't like it or purchase it.
April 4, 2017
I loved the illustrations in this book. The color scheme was terrific. However. I am a little disappointed in the ending. The book was about a little boy who kept a tiny dinosaur in his pocket because he was afraid of certain things like the dark, but his dinosaur was not. When after a soccer game, he loses his dinosaur and suddenly the world to him is a scary place. I like the fact that he looks up to his dad and tells him the truth about the dinosaur. I don't like that both him and his son go back in the dark to go look for the toy. I would have hoped the authors would have had a different message about not needing the toy to be brave.
~April
~April
September 23, 2017
Check out more picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
"Nicholas was afraid of the dark outside his door, the bushes where the giant bugs live, and the underside of manhole covers. His dad was not afraid of anything." Nic uses a dinosaur figure to do things that scare him... but what does he do when he looses his lucky charm? He goes to his dad!
I was really taken with the art in this book. Every spread is not gorgeous but the art goes a long way in telling the story. And there are some gorgeous spreads with a dinosaur in the background that are to die for!! I really liked that we never got to see dad's face so that a child can imagine his own dad's face there. My nephew also really LOVED the dinosaur and his imagination was captured whenever he spotted it in the background hanging out or even when he noticed the little figure the boy carried around.
There are some concerns about this book but I didn't really see the story the way other reviews saw it...
I felt like this book did a great job showing the special nature that a father-son relationship has. "It's guy stuff" wasn't a knock on womanhood or mothers! It's a dad's job to show a boy what it means to be a man. He was saying: Hey bud, it's okay to feel afraid and anxious and you don't have to talk about it right away but you do have to ACT! It's manly to act IN SPITE of one's fears. It also cements with the boy that his father is someone he can trust and talk to openly. This is a GOOD THING between a father and son!
"Don't tell Mom, okay?" wasn't a knock on mom or to show how macho the boy was! Instead it shows how much Nic relied on his mom's belief in him! She was the one who went to his games and took all the video so that his dad got to see what he was up to. She was the supportive one who told him he could do it and to go for it! Some might call this attitude "problematic" but instead I see a TEACHING MOMENT! Whoever is reading this book with their son can turn to him and say: You know you can talk to me (mom) or your mom (dad), right son? Then you can have a quick conversation about him there aren't any secrets in a family.
The dinosaur helps him to do what he needs to do so why isn't is okay for him to find it and use it? Many kids have a blanket they need to have to go to sleep, they naturally grow out of it and really a parent need not wrench the thing away from the child! A child will naturally set it aside. A dinosaur can have the same purpose. Eventually a tape will for in the boys head with words from his coaches and teachers, his mom and dad and from himself based on his past experiences that will act like that dinosaur in his life! No need to force him to grown up before he's ready or to cause him to FAIL because the dinosaur makes YOU uncomfortable.
BOTTOM LINE: This book is about dads and sons and that's perfectly alright! (I bet MORE MOMS wish their son's dad would be a part of his life!!)
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...
"Nicholas was afraid of the dark outside his door, the bushes where the giant bugs live, and the underside of manhole covers. His dad was not afraid of anything." Nic uses a dinosaur figure to do things that scare him... but what does he do when he looses his lucky charm? He goes to his dad!
I was really taken with the art in this book. Every spread is not gorgeous but the art goes a long way in telling the story. And there are some gorgeous spreads with a dinosaur in the background that are to die for!! I really liked that we never got to see dad's face so that a child can imagine his own dad's face there. My nephew also really LOVED the dinosaur and his imagination was captured whenever he spotted it in the background hanging out or even when he noticed the little figure the boy carried around.
There are some concerns about this book but I didn't really see the story the way other reviews saw it...
I felt like this book did a great job showing the special nature that a father-son relationship has. "It's guy stuff" wasn't a knock on womanhood or mothers! It's a dad's job to show a boy what it means to be a man. He was saying: Hey bud, it's okay to feel afraid and anxious and you don't have to talk about it right away but you do have to ACT! It's manly to act IN SPITE of one's fears. It also cements with the boy that his father is someone he can trust and talk to openly. This is a GOOD THING between a father and son!
"Don't tell Mom, okay?" wasn't a knock on mom or to show how macho the boy was! Instead it shows how much Nic relied on his mom's belief in him! She was the one who went to his games and took all the video so that his dad got to see what he was up to. She was the supportive one who told him he could do it and to go for it! Some might call this attitude "problematic" but instead I see a TEACHING MOMENT! Whoever is reading this book with their son can turn to him and say: You know you can talk to me (mom) or your mom (dad), right son? Then you can have a quick conversation about him there aren't any secrets in a family.
The dinosaur helps him to do what he needs to do so why isn't is okay for him to find it and use it? Many kids have a blanket they need to have to go to sleep, they naturally grow out of it and really a parent need not wrench the thing away from the child! A child will naturally set it aside. A dinosaur can have the same purpose. Eventually a tape will for in the boys head with words from his coaches and teachers, his mom and dad and from himself based on his past experiences that will act like that dinosaur in his life! No need to force him to grown up before he's ready or to cause him to FAIL because the dinosaur makes YOU uncomfortable.
BOTTOM LINE: This book is about dads and sons and that's perfectly alright! (I bet MORE MOMS wish their son's dad would be a part of his life!!)
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...
September 12, 2016
idk. The illustrations are gorgeous but I'm not sure how I feel about the mom being completely sidelined.
August 31, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
More about dads! We love celebrating our Dads!
More about dads! We love celebrating our Dads!
December 15, 2024
this book is just adorable
January 27, 2021
Takeaways:
1. You're not brave nor can you be without assistance
2. Don't show mom feelings
3. Dad knows best, let's leave mom out of "guy stuff"
4. Don't be okay with feeling weak or afraid, let's find a way to not talk about such things
1. You're not brave nor can you be without assistance
2. Don't show mom feelings
3. Dad knows best, let's leave mom out of "guy stuff"
4. Don't be okay with feeling weak or afraid, let's find a way to not talk about such things
October 28, 2021
یه کتاب پدر-پسریطور، دربارهی ترس
عنوان فارسی: بابا و دایناسور
ترجمهی نازنین موفق، انتشارات میچکا
عنوان فارسی: بابا و دایناسور
ترجمهی نازنین موفق، انتشارات میچکا
March 23, 2017
In case you somehow missed it, I have a dinosaur loving preschooler, so when this book showed up on my doorstep for review, he was thrilled. We read a lot of dinosaur books, which I have mentioned before, but Dad and the Dinosaur one is one of our favorites.
What makes it stand out? The fact that it's so, so relatable. It's about a young boy named Nicholas, who, like a lot of other young children, is afraid of many things. But he doesn't let these fears stop him as he has a plastic dinosaur that he keeps in his pocket to help him be brave when tackling those big and not-so-big moments in life. For example, Nicholas keeps his dinosaur in his pocket during all of his soccer games. Throughout the book, we see Nicholas going through the daily motions of his life along with his dinosaur, both the plastic toy and the "bigger" dinosaur that follow him around boosting his confidence.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
What makes it stand out? The fact that it's so, so relatable. It's about a young boy named Nicholas, who, like a lot of other young children, is afraid of many things. But he doesn't let these fears stop him as he has a plastic dinosaur that he keeps in his pocket to help him be brave when tackling those big and not-so-big moments in life. For example, Nicholas keeps his dinosaur in his pocket during all of his soccer games. Throughout the book, we see Nicholas going through the daily motions of his life along with his dinosaur, both the plastic toy and the "bigger" dinosaur that follow him around boosting his confidence.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
October 27, 2017
Summary:
Nicholas is fearful, but wants to be more brave like his dad. Nicholas has a toy dinosaur to help him overcome his fears because dinosaurs aren't afraid on anything. He takes the dinosaur everywhere until one day he loses it; but luckily, dad is there to help him find it and Nicholas is brave again.
Evaluation:
I thought this book was cute for children because shows a kid trying to overcome his fears. It is also relatable for children because it comes from the perspective of a child and at some point every child is fearful of something, making it realistic.
Teaching Point:
I would use this book in my classroom as a read aloud. I would then ask my students to decide who their role model is and write about what that person is their role model. This book could also be used to have a discussion about fears and allow the students to write down ways that they think they can overcome their fears like Nicholas did.
Nicholas is fearful, but wants to be more brave like his dad. Nicholas has a toy dinosaur to help him overcome his fears because dinosaurs aren't afraid on anything. He takes the dinosaur everywhere until one day he loses it; but luckily, dad is there to help him find it and Nicholas is brave again.
Evaluation:
I thought this book was cute for children because shows a kid trying to overcome his fears. It is also relatable for children because it comes from the perspective of a child and at some point every child is fearful of something, making it realistic.
Teaching Point:
I would use this book in my classroom as a read aloud. I would then ask my students to decide who their role model is and write about what that person is their role model. This book could also be used to have a discussion about fears and allow the students to write down ways that they think they can overcome their fears like Nicholas did.
October 3, 2016
Dads and Dinosaurs make you brave!
It's a sweet book about father/son relationships and bravery. Gorgeous illustrations and an unexpected direction for the ending (not sure I like it but it was unexpected, so points! I guess?) A lovely book to read with a young kid whose imagination causes them more than the usual amount of fear and wonder.
It's a sweet book about father/son relationships and bravery. Gorgeous illustrations and an unexpected direction for the ending (not sure I like it but it was unexpected, so points! I guess?) A lovely book to read with a young kid whose imagination causes them more than the usual amount of fear and wonder.
September 25, 2017
I really loved the story and illustrations in this book, but I really HATED how the dad and his son blew the mom off at the end of the story to "do guy stuff." I get the idea behind it, and think it is a very sweet, but I think it unnecessarily isolates the mom in the story, and wish that different text had been used to communicate the bonding taking place between the dad and son.
April 26, 2017
I loved it- especially the son and dad moment. Every child needs to know they are special and I think this book conveys the love between this boy and his dad beautifully.
Read
March 30, 2017Reaching a hand in my pocket I brush my fingers over the five smooth stones. For decades they have been my constant traveling companions, in a jacket or pair of jeans, on the dashboard of the car or on the kitchen window sill, ready for our next adventure. Are you thinking, why five smooth stones? According to accounts David had five stones with him when facing Goliath. It wasn't that he lacked courage or faith but he believed in being prepared. Goliath had four other family members.
My dad, one of the most courageous people I have ever known, I learned a few years ago carried a small New Testament Bible, a gift from and inscribed by my mom, with him always during World War II. He was stationed in the Aleutian Islands for more than a year. Bravery comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes we can hold it in our hands. Sometimes we hold it in our hearts. Sometimes something we hold in our hands places it in our hearts. Dad And The Dinosaur (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, March 28, 2017) written by Gennifer Choldenko with illustrations by Dan Santat is a story of finding courage and the love fathers can lend to this discovery.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
My dad, one of the most courageous people I have ever known, I learned a few years ago carried a small New Testament Bible, a gift from and inscribed by my mom, with him always during World War II. He was stationed in the Aleutian Islands for more than a year. Bravery comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes we can hold it in our hands. Sometimes we hold it in our hearts. Sometimes something we hold in our hands places it in our hearts. Dad And The Dinosaur (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, March 28, 2017) written by Gennifer Choldenko with illustrations by Dan Santat is a story of finding courage and the love fathers can lend to this discovery.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
October 4, 2019
Enjoyed sharing this SC Picture Book Nominee with my K-2 students last week! The students really enjoyed it and we had great conversations about what makes us feel safe and loved. I even had a couple of kindergartners who had a small toy dinosaur with them (and they promptly stored them in their socks!).
April 13, 2019
I thought this book might be about overcoming fears... but it wasn’t. Maybe there is a volume 2 coming? To me, this reaffirms dependency, but maybe I am overthinking it. Loved the illustrations, and I did enjoy the relationship between father and son.
April 17, 2017
Heart print story.
May 1, 2017
about being brave.
January 14, 2018
The second star is for the illustrations, although they're not that special. The story is unsatisfying to say the least and sends weird messages.
July 18, 2018
Sweet :)
July 23, 2019
عنوان ترجمه فارسی: بابا و دایناسور
November 2, 2021
عنوان فارسی: بابا و دایناسور
نیک با دایناسورش شجاع میشه
تو با چی؟
نیک با دایناسورش شجاع میشه
تو با چی؟
April 10, 2017
What an tender story of a father and son relationship. I love the combo of Newberry honor winner author Gennifer Choldenko and Caldecott award winner illustrator Dan Santat. Amazing pairing! Santat's illustrations bring to life Choldenko's story of bravery, courage, and perserverance.
August 7, 2017
Beautiful illustrations by Dan Santat (as always) and a great story about a dad that goes the extra mile for his child. Sweet, positive and encouraging.
April 20, 2017
I really love this book. Shows again how Choldenko is a wonderful author, and I love Dan Santat's interpretation of the text.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews