If I Had a Raptor

PreS-K—This story is a welcome addition to the dinosaur-as-pet genre, in which a girl imagines all of the fun she would have with a dinosaur of her very own. In her imagination, the birdlike dino she plucks out of a box marked "Free Raptors" starts out "teensy and tiny." The creature is able to hide all over the house, so a bell is attached to the little predator's collar. From raptor feedings to nail clippings and hunting prey, the girl imagines that life with her own raptor "would be the best thing ever." The protagonist has the charming obliviousness of a young child, as she hug-strangles her pet and treats the dinosaur like a lapdog, even when "Dinah" outgrows her lap and even the chair. The earnest text is perfectly complemented by colorful pencil and watercolor cartoon illustrations, which show the joys and challenges of caring for a pet. Dinosaur facts are embedded into the story, such as a velociraptor's impressive night vision—which the young owner mentions she doesn't possess, evidenced as she steps on a startled Dinah's tail in the dark. Readers will appreciate the similarities between the impractical dino and more realistic animal pets, like cats or dogs. The text is lively and simple enough to make a great read-aloud. O'Connor's charming protagonist is an African American girl, a fact that is not integral to the story but simply wonderful for readers to see. A fun story for any dinosaur fan.—Marian McLeod, Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, CT