Dinosaur Goes to Israel

“This is Dinosaur’s fourth adventure, having celebrated Jewish holidays and Shabbat in Dinosaur on Passover, Dinosaur on Hanukkah, and Dinosaur on Shabbat. This one takes him to Israel as a tourist. He digs in the sand on the beautiful beach in Tel Aviv, eats a falafel for lunch, puts a message high up in the Western Wall, climbs Masada, takes a mud bath in the Dead Sea, and goes snorkeling in Eilat. Throughout, he is enthusiastic about his experiences and at the end cannot wait to go back. Told in rhyme, this is a lovely, joyful story, highlighting important sites in Israel. Several simple Hebrew words are incorporated into the text, without needing explanation, such as Shalom, Eretz Yisrael, Todah Rabah and Shofar. Double-page illustrations are colorful and humorous, work well with the text, and are perfectly age-appropriate. Familiarity with the main character will definitely increase the appreciation of the young readers. Recommended as a read-to for ages 3-6.” —Jewish Book World

“Our AJL colleague, Diane Rauchwerger, has charmed children with stories featuring a dinosaur who celebrates Judaism. In this, her fourth book illustrated by Jason Wolff, Dino joins his human friend on a visit to Israel. The book does more than tell the story of a wonderful trip around the Holy Land. Using simple and evocative rhymes and a visual sense of the country, the words and pictures show the characters in action as they experience the country in surprising detail. In Tel Aviv, Dino and his friend see the Agam Fountain in Dizengoff Square, visit the beach, and eat falafel at a vendor’s cart. In Jerusalem, they place their prayers in the Wall. They travel to Eilat for snorkeling in the Red Sea and see camels. They climb Masada (called ‘Mount Masada’ here) and swim in the Dead Sea. Finally, they shop at a shuk and buy something to use at home and remember their fabulous journey. Over the generations, beginning with Mamie Gamoran’s Hillel’s Happy Holidays, there have been memorable books that bring the Jewish festivals—and the state of Israel—to joyous and meaningful life for young children. In recent years we have seen several collections—by Sylvia Rouss, Deborah Miller and others—that kindle the joy of Judaism in preschoolers. This sweet and meaningful book should secure Diane Rauchwerger’s dinosaur among those series. It is highly recommended for all children’s libraries, and is enthusiastically recommended for pre-K through second grade (and for the young at heart of any age). It should be in constant demand; buy multiple copies.” —Association of Jewish Libraries

“Dinosaur-loving Middle-Eastern tourists may be a small demographic, but this book targets them perfectly.

There’s a theory that any book can be improved by putting a dinosaur in it. You may have a child in your family who believes that ‘Hansel and Gretel and Stegosaurus’ would be ten times better than the original. And so we have a travel guide about a dinosaur who goes to the Holy Land. Sample verse: ‘I ride up Mt. Masada. / Dino hikes the snakey path. / We cool off at the Dead Sea. / He enjoys a warm mud bath.’ The other verses don’t scan any better. The book does provide an authentic Israeli experience, of sorts: falafel, the Western Wall, souvenir shopping at a shuk. Readers will learn half-a-dozen Hebrew words and find out that a shuk is a marketplace. But there’s a very inauthentic dinosaur on every page. This may be a test of character. If you have to ask why a dinosaur has taken a plane to Israel, this isn’t the book for you.

If your child points to the cover and tells you the name of the dinosaur on the front, you may need to purchase this book. Otherwise, you can buy a dinosaur toy and a travel book and safely keep them separate.” —Kirkus Reviews