How it works: Dinosaur by Amelia Hepworth, illustrated by David Semple

 While this is technically a board book, I am including it as a toy under the Read 'n' Play tag, because it's really not suited for infants and toddlers, the audience I consider appropriate for board books. But it's just right for a kit or toy bag! In fact, it's the dinosaur book I've been looking for!

Some of the most popular parts of our Dinosaur-themed storytime kits are the books that cut away the interior of a dinosaur, showing the bones, muscles, etc. Unfortunately, they tend to be very fragile and break as soon as we purchase them. This is the solution!

The cover shows how the image of a t. rex is cut away, with thick cardboard pages, and points to some important parts like a strong tail, brain (tiny hole), and stomping feet. Inside, the mouse-paleontologist introduces facts about dinosaurs in short paragraphs while each page lifts another layer. The first page shows the typical green skin, glimpses of skeleton and organs, and sharp, heavy cardboard teeth. The facts are phrased simply, "This dinosaur could see and smell really well, which helped it find prey." Readers will learn that it had powerful leg muscles, sharp teeth, and the story ends with the fossilized skeleton on display in a museum.

The colors are bright and cheerful, showing the green dinosaur against a variety of backgrounds, mostly desert or savannah. The text is suited to a preschooler or kindergartener, which is older than the typical audience for board books and significantly younger than the audience for the more complex cut-away activity books I've been using, but the exact age of the kids who use my kits the most. They are also used in our four-year old kindergartens.

Verdict: While this is sturdy enough to be added to a board book collection, the more detailed text and concepts aim it at a slightly older audience. It's perfect for kits but would also be a great addition to any preschool class library. There are three other titles in this series, Rockets, Human Body, and Tractors and I'm definitely hoping there will be more titles in this series!

ISBN: 9781664350229; Published July 2022 by Tiger Tales; Review copy provided by publicist; Donated to the library