Pamela Duncan Edwards

Cinderella gets the paleontological treatment in this alliterative fever dream of a picture book from author Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrator Henry Cole. Much put-upon by her stepsisters Dora and Doris, Dinorella does all the cleaning up in their dinosaur den, but is denied the chance to go to Duke Dudley's Dinosaur Dance. Fortunately for her, Fairydactyl is there to save the day, and get her ready to attend. But when she arrives and finds the duke under attack by a deinonychus, she show more must step in to save the day, winning the duke's heart in the process...

I tend toward themed reading projects, and recently I've been tracking down every picture book retelling—traditional, international, fractured—of the Cinderella story that I can find. So it is that I requested Dinorella: A Prehistoric Fairy Tale from the library, forgetting that my last encounter with this author/illustrator duo, Rosie's Roses, wasn't quite to my taste. Here, unfortunately, I had a similar experience. The alliteration was fun at first but soon became overwhelming for me, the fight with the deinonychus felt too far removed from anything I associate with this tale type to be entertaining, and the artwork, created using acrylic and colored pencil, was sometimes fun but more often drab and dark. Tastes vary of course, and young people who enjoy silly stories might warm to this one, but it was a decided miss for me. show less

This story is a fun twist on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. This prehistoric version follows Dinorella and her dreadful step-sisters, Dora and Doris. With a dash of magic and courage, Dinorella’s future turns from drab to dreamy.
I absolutely loved this book as a kid. It was in my mother’s classroom library and I read it almost every day after school. It was so fun to read again after so many years.
The use of alliteration was a creative and charming touch. This book stays true to the show more theme of Cinderella with the addition of playful changes. I love that in this version Dinorella is a damsel but she’s not in distress. It was such a cute “girl-power” touch! The author does a fantastic job of taking a princess fairy tale and making it engaging for both girls and boys alike. Dinosaurs and humor blend seamlessly into the fantasy of this fairy tale spin. show less

Frank, Floyd, Freddy, and Flo make fun of their brother Fosdyke's habit of cooking cuisine rather than hunting for food. Despite Frank, Floyd, Freddy, and Flo's failure to capture food, they refuse to eat Fosdyke's fried figs, fennel, and French bread. However, after their plans are continuously foiled, the siblings return to the den and finally eat Fosdyke's food. Later, Fosdyke reveals to his brothers that the reason their hunting failed is because there is a full moon out and their show more aspect: alliteration. Moreover, educators can have students identify the characteristics of phrases or sentences that have alliteration, as well as create their own alliteration phrases. Due to the text's vibrant imagery and consistent use of alliteration, the intended audience for this text is likely to be students in second, third, and fourth graders. However, this text can be used in fifth and sixth grade to introduce more complex alliterations and introduce more advanced literary devices. The most notable character in this book is Fosdyke because he is a consistent and odd character that brings humor to the text. Personally, I loved this book and would use this book in my classroom to introduce figurative language and/or alliteration to my class. show less

Dinorella is another retelling of the classic Cinderella. However, in this story the heroine is the one who saves the Duke from getting hurt. This is important to show to young girls who may see a lot of damsels in distress. The characters being dinosaurs could appeal to both girls and boys. This story would be a good way to introduce another retelling of Cinderella that is a little more dynamic.