These inexpensive PVC plastic dinosaurs are brightly colored and make an attractive counter display. Each of nine different packs include 12 dinosaurs.
— “Plastic dinosaurs from Ja-Ru,” said Joseph Baiocco, manager of Big Top of Scarsdale Inc. in Heathcote, N.Y. “There is a wide selection to choose from, they are a good size piece and it is a low-end priced item.”
— Plastic dinosaur figurines are a hit with boys, according to Jan Grimsley, owner of Trademarks in Little Rock, Ark.
— “Dinosaurs are always big,” agreed Debbie Scholl, owner of Fundamentally Toys in Houston.
TDmonthly Review:
What Is It?It’s a book about dinosaurs… with a hole in it. That’s right, a hole. A hole to put a face in (either a kid’s or an adult’s). Inside there are dinosaurs who (in one easy to read—except the names—line) tell what they like to eat. From the fern-loving Diplodocus to the dino-loving T-Rex, each page gives the name and eating habits of another animal. The hole? That’s right where the dinosaur’s face is, so you look pretty silly and have a lot of fun.
What We ThoughtSometimes dinosaurs frighten the very smallest children, so having their faces look out from the book, or better yet, having an adult’s is very un-frightening. With my nephew, it worked like a charm. I read the line, did the sound effects of eating, and even ran after him as if I were a Tyrannosaurus. He laughed so hard he got the hiccups. Then he tried it for the rest of the day, running after his older sister, his mom and his dad. Granted, he and I are both hams, so we took to it like a Plesiosaurus to water (one dino that isn’t in the book). Still, it’s a hoot, and lots of fun. My only comment: I’m a dinosaur fan, so I knew the pronunciation of all the names, but a handy-dandy phonetic guide might be a good addition, though it’s a minor point.
Why They’ll Want ItHey, it’s dinosaurs—which are timeless (or at least 65 million years old—the end of the Cretaceous era). Also, it’s got a hole in the book, a novelty right there. It’s fun to play with, and a unique way of demystifying a potentially frightening subject. All in all: two thumbs up.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 8/19/05