(Book Cover: Willems, Mo. 2006. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. Source of picture: Barnes and Noble online catalog. 2008. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Edwina-the-Dinosaur-Who-Didnt-Know-She-Was-Extinct/Mo-Willems/e/9780786837489/?itm=19, accessed September 5, 2008).
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Willems, Mo. 2006. Edwina, the dinosaur who didn't know she was extinct. 2006. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0-7868-3748-9.
2. PLOT SUMMARY: A small town's friendly neighborhood dinosaur, Edwina, is happy going about her life, enriching the lives of towns people, until the protagonist, the town know-it-all, Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie, takes it upon himself to teach the town, and Edwina, that dinosaurs are extinct. He gets very upset because no one in town will listen to him or take him seriously. Edwina, being the nice dinosaur that she is, agrees to listen fully to Reginald's persuasive speech explaining why dinosaurs are extent. Reginald was very convincing and very satisfied to have someone actually listen to him. The facts, although convincing, changed nothing for Edwina. She just didn't care. Reginald realized that he didn't care either. He gives up his crusade to educate the town and he happily sits in Edwina's kitchen while she bakes cookies for him.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
This book is one that elementary aged children will enjoy because of the simple, illustrations of a lovable dinosaur and one with which children can identify. Most children can identify with the townspeople who ignore Reginald because they have had experiences with the "know-it-all" kind of person at one time or another. It is likely that children have had the experience of ignoring kids such as Reginald. On the other side of the coin, most children have experienced the strong feeling of needing to tell what they know or convince someone of a fact that they know to be true. They can relate to Reginald and the frustration he feels when no one will listen.
There are, however, two themes running through the book that children may not be familiar with. The first, and most important theme of this story, is that no one person has the power to upset another person's life. If someone says things that are hurtful, the best course of action is to not react. Saying " I just don't care" takes all the power away from that person so that life can continue unencumbered. Eventually, the person who is being hurtful will give up and decide he or she doesn't care either. The second theme is that sometimes a person desperately needs to have someone else listen to what he or she has to say. It is important to realize that stopping and listening to someone can make an important difference to that person.
The illustrations are simple line drawings that may be familiar to children from reading other Mo Willems books. In fact, the characters Knuffle Bunny and Pigeon can be spotted among the pages of this book by those familiar with Willems' work. Knuffle Bunny is tucked inside a woman's purse and Pigeon's picture is posted on a bulletin board and also on a child's t-shirt. Like these characters, Edwina is easily lovable. She is a large green dinosaur that has human characteristics (pearl necklace, hat and purse). The characters representing the town's people are diverse in shape, size, gender, culture, age and occupation. Mr. Willems seems to have covered all bases when it comes to diversity except for the representation of someone with disabilities. This would be an easy and welcome addition to this book.
The illustrations are printed in color with the interspersing of black and white pictures. There is a purposeful use of this color and black and white structure. When reading the book, these drawings seem akin to fast forwarding through a recorded television program. The reader easily sees what the character is doing but the nature of the pictures, and their placement on the page, represent movement. Specifically, they represent movement throughout a day or night. All black and white drawings occur before the plot climax (when Reginald finally convinces Edwina that dinosaurs are extinct). All illustrations after this climax are in color.
Mr. Willems cleverly uses line to create movement among the characters. These lines can best be described as two brackets [ex: (( or ))] that are placed next to anything that is moving. For example, when Reginald brushes his teeth, when children dance, when Reginald hits a gong and so forth. This is just another example of why Mo Willems is a master at picture books.
4. BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
(Source: Book Index with Reviews, EBSCO Host Database, accessed via TWU Library Online)
KIRKUS REVIEWS, 08/01/2006: "The just-right resolution is a tribute to the child's rock-solid faith in how the world should be, not how it really is."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, 09/01/2006: "Aesthetically, this is neither as elegantly designed as Willems’ “Pigeon” books (Hyperion) nor as bold a departure as his Knuffle Bunny (Hyperion, 2004), but it will nonetheless please the author’s many fans. The added pleasure of finding Knuffle Bunny and Pigeon in the illustrations is an unexpected bonus.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, 07/17/2006: "... the book comments on polite debate and helps raise useful questions. Is there such a thing as too much knowledge? Can popular notions be challenged? Should we listen to others, even when we don't agree?"
5. CONNECTIONS IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY SETTING:
-- This book could be used as an introduction to a science unit about dinosaurs. Research skills, presentation and communication skills could also be taught. The children could examine other books that discuss how dinosaurs became extinct and then as a presentation tool, each child (or groups of children) could play the part of Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie and try to convince Edwina that she doesn't exist. In each presentation, the other children could be given the role of Edwina and the townspeople. If allowed, cookies could be provided on the day of presentations.
-- Great book to read to a class if someone in class is being a know-it-all or if someone is being bullied. Discussion can be had on how to just walk away and say "I don't care".
Other related books and music:
-- Silverstein, Shel. 1996. The voice. In Falling up, 38. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
-- Kelly, Paul A. and Doug Macleod. 2003. Ode to an extinct dinosaur. In Howlin' at the moon. Internet: Walking Oliver Productions. http://www.walkingoliver.com/story-106,Ode+to+an+Extinct+Dinosaur.htm, accessed September 14, 2008.
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