Dinoblock

PreS-Gr 1—A companion volume to the author's Alphablock (2013) and Countablock (2014, both Abrams), this chunky block of a book, replete with flaps, offers tiny tots a litany of 21 dinosaurs. Beginning and ending with double-page fold-outs of a museum, the book presents no time line—indeed, there's no real organization—leaving that to more serious offerings. The book follows the same formula for each dinosaur: a spread mentioning a single characteristic ("I am quick like a fox" or "I burrow like a rabbit"), featuring a cutaway flap that is followed by a simple illustration relating the characteristic to a real-world association, such as a fire truck indicating the relative height of one dino. Franceschelli also includes the dinosaur's name and a phonetic spelling to help with pronunciation. The bright illustrations tend away from violent imagery. Even toothy T. rex, out in a thunderstorm, appears more anxious than aggressive. Though the pages are thinner than those in most board books, the binding and flaps are nonetheless quite sturdy.