DILLY SPEAKS UP
by Tony Bradman & illustrated by Susan Hellard
With the promise of a stop at ``The Swamp'' (playground) on the way home, suburban dinosaur Dorla takes little brother Dilly to ``The Shopping Cavern'' (mall), where signs (``Marks & Stegosaurus''; ``MACDINO'') play on dinosaur names and where escalator riders are warned to carry their tails. The interaction is even more contemporary: every time someone speaks to Dilly, Dorla butts in to answer for him—until they get home and Dilly gets even by answering Mother's question to her: of course, she'd like to take him out again! Hellard's broad, uninhibited line is just right for turning these unwieldy creatures into comical caricatures—a pink-haired punk, a grouchy old lady, or the talkative schoolgirl and her eager little brother. Predictable, but fun and sure to please. (Picture book. 3-8)