Intrepid children share meals with a gallery of dinosaurs, from towering T. Rex to a chicken-sized Shuvuuia.
Blithely blowing past the fact that all the dinosaurs here are carnivores who would probably have regarded their human guests as menu items (except perhaps the small and insectivorous Ambopteryx), Morales incorporates stock images of toothy prehistoric predators into cartoon scenes featuring a diverse cast of young people, including one who uses a wheelchair, ready to chow down on steak, seafood, and more. Markle dishes up platefuls of basic facts about each dinosaur, including sizes and hunting styles, which she spices up with colorful commentary: “Utahraptor was a Super Stabber Raptor!” “Imagine what a BIG mouth full of sharp teeth [Spinosaurus] had!” In keeping with the general predator vs. prey vibe, she also urges readers to enjoy the “beast feast” in active ways…“on the go” with Microraptor, for example, or snatching “fast food” with agile Velociraptor. This prehistoric plat-du-jour is capped with further “Fun Facts!” (scientists think that Carnotaurus waved its tiny arms to attract a mate, for instance) plus a timeline and an explanation of how dinosaur hips differ from reptilian ones; readers will also learn what made carnivorous dinosaurs such successful hunters.
A breezy blast of dino facts.
(Informational picture book. 6-8)