Dinosaur Name Poems (Poemas de nombres de dinosaurios) Reviewed

Author: Steven C. Cunningham, M.D,
Illustrator: Valeska M. Populoh
Translator: Myriam Gorosope, Ph.D
ISBN: 978-0-9721241-6-4
Publisher: Three Conditions Press

Thanks to the efforts of authors like Dr. Steven C. Cunningham, the joys of poetry coupled with paleontology can painlessly be introduced to children ages 4-12.

Dinosaur Name Poems (Poemas de nombres de dinosaurios) is just that kind of a bilingual English-Spanish children's picture book. Not only will kids learn about prehistoric creatures presented to them in the format of witty poems, but at the same time, they may also pick up a few Spanish or English words along the way, as each poem appears in both languages.

All of the poems have a great roll-along sound and bouncy rhythm, characterizing thirty dinosaurs from Allosaurus to Velociraptor as they play on the meaning of the etymology of the ancient animal’s name. This will unquestionably engage kids and persuade them to sit still and listen. And if you are concerned about the pronunciations of these pre-historic animals, fear not, at the end of the book there is a complete listing of all of the creatures in alphabetical order with their phonetic pronunciations, name meaning, locomotion, diet, and some interesting tidbits such as how did it get its name. There is also a glossary of technical terms such as the meaning of carnivorous, herbivorous and several words used in various poems.

The title poem Ichthyornis (ik-thee-ORN-iss) is one of my favorites:

“Fish Bird," you are named

(but don't be ashamed)

for what you like to eat.

If I were you, loving as I do,

all treats that are sweet,

including this confection,

a morsel of chocolate perfection,

that down my throat just slid,

they would call me “candy kid."

Another titled Teratosaurus (teh-RAT-uh-sawr-us) is adorable and can be sung to the tune of “Happy Birthday."

You-re a “Monster Lizard."

You-re a “Monster Lizard."

You look like a monster,

and you eat like one too.

Perfect for reading out loud, Dinosaur Name Poems (Poemas de nombres de dinosaurios) will no doubt encourage adult and children participation, as it sparks the imagination of both to pose questions pertaining to these extinct animals as: “What if....these animals lived to day? Where would we find them? How did they become extinct? As an added plus, the study of paleontology, particularly in the format presented in this book, may also offer many avenues of exploration to a wide variety of sciences as biology, geology, chemistry, physics and astronomy.

Supporting the thirty poems are Valeska M. Populoh's laugh-out-loud animated illustrations with their brilliant texture and wonderful palette of colors, notably red, green and blue that are well matched to the text. These images greatly bolster the spirit of the poems as well as their sense of amusement. The many way-out details and somewhat zany appearances of these pre-historic animals will elicit smiles from kids, assuring that this title will be a repeat favorite with families.

The book received rare distinction as a Paleontological Research Institution (PRI)-approved book for its content and illustration accuracy. It also and received two 2009 Moonbeam Awards in the Children’s Poetry and Spanish Language Book categories.

Dr. Steven Clark Cunningham was born in Denver, Colorado. After graduating from Creighton University with majors in chemistry and Spanish, he attended medical school at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Having finished his residency in general surgery at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland, he is currently doing a fellowship in surgery of the liver and pancreas at Johns Hopkins University.

He has served as a contributing editor of Maryland Poetry Review, and his poems have appeared in Maryland Poetry Review, The New Physician (winner of literary arts contest), Chimeras, WordHouse: Baltimore’s Literary Calendar, the anthology Function At The Junction #2 (Electric Press, 1997), the cookbook Pasta Poetics (ed. Matt Hohner, 1997), and the anthology Poems for Chromosomes

Click Here To Read Norm's Interview With Dr. Steven Clark Cunningham