The Plesiosaur's Neck

A lovely book! The Plesiosaur's Neck starts with a double page introducing the characters that are involved including Poppy Plesiosaur, Alfie Ammonite and Bella Belemnite. As the story starts, it introduces Poppy Plesiosaur by explaining how she would have moved through the ocean as well as the similarities in her body to other ocean creatures. It explores the different possibilities of how her body may have worked, asking questions to get children thinking. At the end of the story, there are some pictures of other creatures from the cretaceous period to allow children to explore further with their own research and it has a brilliant glossary to explain any difficult or unfamiliar words.

Throughout the story, text boxes are used to give chunks of factual information about plesiosaurs as well as different plants and animals of that time and how they would have lived. Each page is covered in colourful illustrations with many characters having speech bubbles which will help to bring them to life as children are reading. The story also uses rhyming words which the children love - it gives it rhythm and keeps them engaged. A lovely book for all children, especially those who are captivated by dinosaurs and other extinct animals!

Picture book / Reviewed by Lucy Newton, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+