DINOSAUR STARTS SCHOOL

A series of what-ifs posits a timid stegosaurus whose little boy must guide him gently through the first day of school, defusing his anxiety at every step. The direct-address text prompts the boy at every turn: What if Dinosaur refuses to go into the building? What if Dinosaur thinks the classroom is too noisy? “You’d say, ‘It’s only noisy because everyone is laughing and having a good time.’ ” Allwright makes gentle use of the ridiculousness of the premise, pairing swiftly drawn smiling humans against a large, textured red reptile. And when Dinosaur makes a friend—a green triceratops, complete with child of its own—she makes sweet visual hay. While most readers will recognize just who occupies which role in this small fear-buster, they’ll be happy enough to let it unfold. (Picture book. 4-6)