Episode 11 - Dinosaurs (Dactyl Hill Squad & Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs)

(CN: Discussion of anti-black racism, violence, slavery and guns during the chapter book section. If you want to skip ahead to our picture book section, start at 27 minutes) This week we’re reading books that feature dinosaurs! Our chapter book is Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel José Older, which blends historical fiction and fantasy as we follow the adventures a gang of kids from the Coloured Orphan Asylum in 1863 New York, but in a world inhabited by both people and dinosaurs. Our picture book is Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, as retold by Mo Willems – classic Goldilocks story but, again, with dinosaurs, as well as a healthy dose of wry sarcasm, which we’ve got plenty time for. Write or Die Podcast has a great episode with Daniel Jose Older talking about overcoming institutional rejection in the publishing industry and getting started in writing here - https://writeordiepodcast.com/2018/04/20/episode-one-daniel-jose-older-the-actual-motherfing-biggest-childrens-publisher-in-the-galaxy/ If you like the sound of Dactyl Hill Squad, it is Book 1 of a trilogy: sequels ‘Freedom Fire’ and ‘Thunder Run’ are now available. There’s a tantalising review of ‘Freedom Fire’ here - https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/daniel-jose-older/freedom-fire/ Lovely interview with Mo Willems here, about breaking the rules in writing, drawing and reading to your kids, with lots of offshoot links, from Playing by the Book - http://www.playingbythebook.net/2013/04/01/an-interview-with-mo-willems/ Mo regularly Tweets interviews, doodles and other content @The_Pigeon What A Wonderful Day is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Shane Ivers of silvermansound.com