Have you seen my invisible dinosaur? by Helen Yoon

This charming book, featuring an Asian protagonist, celebrates the power of imagination - and the danger of baths!

The story begins with the child, wearing sandals, shorts, t-shirt and yellow hat, on a white background yelling "Here, boy!" They next look thoughtfully up at the title, moving to stand on a strip of brown dirt against a textured beige background, and then start describing their missing (and invisible) dinosaur. The child explains what happened with a scrawl of child-like drawings in crayon, showing the outline of a very dirty dinosaur, splashes of water, and a myriad of pink bubbles. They try to lure the dinosaur back with sandwiches, squatting amidst piles of pinkened bread and empty jars, their hat sliding off and revealing short, spiky pigtails. Unfortunately, their attempts only attract random animals, not their dinosaur.

The art goes back to the child's drawings, as they imagine ways they could find their missing pet - if only it were snowing or raining or... as they wander through a meadow, a shape slowly begins to emerge from the fluttering dandelions and they happily hug the jam-smeared nose of their beloved dinosaur.

Verdict: The humor is understated, but the heart is all here in this clever and beautifully timed story. The little twists and turns are just right to elicit giggles and readers will enjoy imagining, and perhaps drawing, their own invisible friends after enjoying this sweet tale of friendship lost and found. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781536226256; Published May 2023 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher