My Meerkat Mum, by Ruth Paul

Up. Down. Dig. Play.
Meerkat Mum leads the way.

From first light till bedtime, Meerkat Mum supervises her children, guiding, scolding, feeding, and guarding. Even when they finally rest safe in their burrow, she will remain alert for danger all night.

My Meerkat Mum is a delightful rhyming text which captures the jerky, slightly humorous movements for which meerkats are known, in its stop/start rhythm. It withstands repeated readings (this reviewer road tested it with a ten month old who sat through four readings).

The illustrations, rendered digitally are equally delightful, with golden desrt hues and semi-realistic portrayals of the meerkats and other animals, though mum and one meerkat pup are adorned with flowers, and another has a favourite cuddly toy aardvark.

Suitable for babies through to early schoolers.

My Meerkat Mum, by Ruth Paul
Scholastic NZ, 207
ISBN 9781775434894

My Dinosaur Dad by Ruth Paul

This dad is TALL,

this dad is SQUAT.

This dad is HUGE,

This dad is NOT.

This dad is TALL,

this dad is SQUAT.

This dad is HUGE,

This dad is NOT.

‘My Dinosaur Dad’ introduces a range of dinosaur dads, describing both their physical attributes and also their behaviours. The narrator’s dad is the final dad to appear and his arrival sends most of the others packing. But despite his reputation and apparent behaviour, to the young dinosaur, this is merely Dad. ‘My Dinosaur Dad’ is a large format, heavy paper, paper back, suitable for very young children. Images are simple and clear although there are also other animals flitting about each opening. Some of these other animals are there to provide scale and interest. Foliage is often stylised but provides an introduction to ancient flora. Dinosaurs appear in a wide range of gentle colours and patterns.

My Dinosaur Dad is a perfect introduction to dinosaurs, so beloved of young children. But rather than offer too much information, it presents them as loving and attentive fathers. There are dinosaur fathers of all shapes and sizes, likes and behaviours. Most readers will recognise aspects of their fathers in these pages. Ruth Paul has had fun with her patterning and colouring of the dinosaurs. In addition to introducing dinosaurs, ‘My Dinosaur Dad’ offers opposites (tall/squat, chunky/thinner) and words (spiky/prickly, knobbly/tickly) that are fun to say and explore. There are plenty of extra details for young readers to enjoy, including young dinosaurs mimicking their fathers with varying degrees of success. Ideal for pre-schoolers.

My Dinosaur Dad, Ruth Paul Scholastic NZ 2013 ISBN: 9781775431749

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com