One Hundred Bones

Being a stray dog like Scruff has its advantages, as no one tells him what to do or makes him wear a collar, and he can dig in the mud all day long! However, being homeless, Scruff is in need of some care and affection, and is a little lonely. That is until one day, when he sniffs out a pile of old bones, and manages to convince the neighbourhood dogs to help him. Together, they unearth 100 bones of different shapes and sizes, and make the most exciting dinosaur discovery of all time! Happily, Scruff's find wins him new friends and a new home. The illustrations are bold, endearing and humorous. They feature well-known sites in London and even the Queen makes an appearance! Dogs tend to be popular with children, and this book would read aloud very well to those in the Early Years and Key Stage One, alongside others such as Oh no, George! (Chris Haughton), Smelly Louie (Catherine Rayner) and The Dog who Could Dig (Korky Paul and Jonathan Long). Children would enjoy re-enacting this story, as it lends itself well to characterisation and sequencing. The story is also quite topical: in June 2015, a cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex was reported as the first meat-eating dinosaur ever to be found in Wales! Children could be encouraged to read about dinosaurs and fossils, and links could be made to Stone Girl Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning (Laurence Anholt and Sheila Moxley), a picture book which introduces younger children to this famous dinosaur expert. Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Kerenza Ghosh, lecturer.

Suggested Reading Age 3+

Dogs and dinosaurs! A winning combination! Young children will love this tale of Scruff the dog who is homeless and friendless, but who nevertheless exudes positivity and energy. He loves to dig , anywhere and everywhere, much to the disapproval of other - better brought up - dogs and their owners. Eventually he digs down so far that he unearths such a giant cache of mysterious bones that even the other dogs cannot resist getting involved. Via a trip to the Natural History Museum in London,they solve the puzzle together and in doing so , find fame and a home for Scruff. This is a very pleasing looking book, with nice 'splodgy' collage-style artwork in a calming colour range. The perspective is always Scruff's, so we see only the bottom half of the humans and never their heads, although we see every charming detail of the doggy cast of characters. There is plenty of amusing alliteration and a good breadth of vocabulary. Useful themes of friendship, teamwork and belonging and handy for KS1 Dinosaur topic. Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Rose Palmer, librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 3+