Norman’s First Day at Dino Day Care
Have courage, little dinosaur!
It’s Norman’s first day at Dino Day Care. Who wouldn’t be nervous? First, Norman does what he does best: he makes himself invisible. But eventually he manages to find his courage—with a little help from a new friend and just a hint of magic.
Sean Julian playfully reminds us that it’s okay to be shy. Everybody is different—and that’s a good thing. Perfect for kindergartens!
Julian’s small, diverse groups of fetchingly drawn dino-tots happily stacking rocks outdoors or engaged in other social activities inside beneath the pterodactyl teacher’s calm but watchful eyes (and also a wall poster wordlessly promoting the notion of evolution) promise a reassuringly positive experience.
Kirkus Reviews
This charming picture book presents shyness as a special part of one’s identity—and one that can confer benefits... The illustrations’ warm pastels, childlike dinosaurs, and clever blending of Mesozoic features with a contemporary day care make the point that this world is both familiar and strange, as it might feel to any child starting school.
Booklist
Miss Beak, sporting a jaunty kerchief in Julian’s sweet art, is a calm and patient presence for the cast of genuinely gentle young dinosaurs—a vibe likely to build confidence in young humans.
Publishers Weekly
Norman’s First Day at Dino Day Care is a much-needed rejoinder to the well-intentioned advice “don’t be shy.” This gentle tale suggests an alternative approach: learning to recognize and accept who you are, while also discovering how to use those qualities to be part of a team.
BookPage
