The Children’s Book Review | June 29, 2016
Written and Illustrated by Richard Torrey
Age Range: 3-7
Hardback Book: 32 pages
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-4549-1179-1
What to expect: First day of school, imagination
Ally can roar with the best dinosaurs, but can this little dino make friends on the first day of school?
Ally loves dinosaurs. She can stomp like one. She can roar like one. She can even chomp her cinnamon toast like one! Lucky for her, it’s the first day of school, and she can’t wait to meet new friends. Surely they will love dinosaurs as much as she does.
Except, they don’t. During circle time a clique of princess-loving girls tell her that dinosaurs aren’t really that great. Princesses are way better. At snack time, no one wants to chomp their grapes like a dinosaur. At lunch, the princess clique tells her that no, she cannot sit with them. And, by the way, her baloney sandwich is not real dinosaur food, and Ally isn’t a real dinosaur either.
Sad and lonely, Ally finds herself seated at a big table with no one to share it with. Then kids start to ask to sit with her. One loves dragons. The next loves lions. Another wants to be an astronaut, and a strange new friend named Martin is just really in to his new yellow lunchbox. They go to recess, and Ally finds that she can play with all the groups – even the princess-loving clique. Turns out everyone can like whoever they want, and still be friends.
This is an absolutely adorable book about imagination, the first day of school, and making friends. Ally is cute as a button and passionate about her dinosaurs. Every kid has something they love, and sometimes it can be hard to understand that everyone has different tastes. This book does a great job of making the subject of first days of school fun and lighthearted, while also teaching that everyone likes what they like, and can still get along. The illustrations are beautifully imaginative and simple, completely drawing in little ones. The writing is sweet and perfect for children to listen to over and again. The cast of children was refreshingly diverse, and everyone will love Walter and his special yellow lunchbox. We’re still chuckling over that one.
Witty, sweet and perfect for first day of school jitters. Highly recommended.
Add this book to your collection: Ally-saurus & the First Day of School
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About Richard Torrey
Richard Torrey is the author and illustrator of a number of well-loved children’s books, including Almost, Why?, and the popular Beans Baker series. Mr. Torrey lives in Shoreham, New York.
Ally-saurus & the First Day of School, by Richard Torrey, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like Ally-saurus & the First Day of School by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Dinosaurs, featured, First Day of School Books, and Picture Books.