Picture from NorthSouth Books
Norman's first day
at Dino Day Care
from Sean Julian
32 pages
first published 06.07.2021
ISBN: 9780735844148
NorthSouth Books
$ 17.95 US / $ 23.95 CAD
A story about being shy that shows that shyness isn't bad and friendship helps you to dare a little
for children from 3 years+
Informations from the publisher:
"Have courage, little dinosaur!
It’s Norman’s first day at Dino Day Care. Who wouldn’t be nervous? First, Norman does what he does best: he makes himself invisible. But eventually he manages to find his courage—with a little help from a new friend and just a hint of magic.
Sean Julian playfully reminds us that it’s okay to be shy. Everybody is different—and that’s a good thing. Perfect for kindergartens!"
A new day, a new adventure, this is what the life of many children who are still discovering new things looks like.For little Dino Norman, it is not only a new day, but a new phase of his life begins. Today is his first day in Ms. Horn's playing group. It looks comfortable there, but when Mrs. Horn wants to introduce him to the other Dino children, he suddenly disappears. Better said, he hid so well that it's hard to spot.
Little Frida suspects it might be an invisible dino, but Norman is not invisible, but just shy.
And so it comes that the first hours in the playing group are an ups and downs of feelings for the little dinosaur. When something gets scary for him, he hides, because norms can hide really well. Otherwise he observes the activities of the others from a safe distance and is not badly amazed how confidently the dinos deal with each other. He would love to play too well but he would have to be brave. He tries, but somehow it always boils down to the fact that he dives. When he feels unobserved and builds a beautiful stone tower, he is discovered by Tina, who praises him for his great tower. Admiration is good for norms, but he doesn't know how to deal with it, so he does what he always does, he takes a break.
Ms. Horn, on the other hand, knows only too well how Norman feels. When he tells her that he would like to play with the others but is too shy, she tells him that it is completely oky to be shy.
What's more, she says:
"That makes you the special dino you are."
So strengthened, Norman's first afternoon in the playing group starts a little easier. But when the Dino children are supposed to rehearse something for a performance in groups of two, Norm finds something more. He's not the only one who's shy. From this realization comes the consideration:
"Maybe it's only half as bad for two?"
You want to know what else is going on in the playing group this afternoon and whether Normen and Felix will be able to contribute to the performance?
Then get the book and see for yourself.
The story of the little shy dino norms is an absolutely lovingand sensitive story that not only encourages and empowers children, but also conveys that being shy is perfectly fine.
Norman has learned that his shyness belongs to him. But he has also experienced that he can be courageous when it matters and that he has friends who help him to be courageous and like him as he is.
Sensitively told, shy children quickly find themselves in the story and feel understood. Children who do not have to deal with shyness but also have fears. To be afraid and to be courageous are also part of life, they experience. At the same time, all children are made aware of the issue, which is also very important to develop an understanding for all those who are shy.
The witty, colorful illustrations are not only beautiful to look at, but also captivate with a lot of attention to detail, emotionality and a dynamic that the individual image sequences become moving images in front of our inner eye. The facial expressions and gestures, like the entire visual language, are very expressive and clearly feel how the individual figures feel in the respective situation. The situational comedy is not neglected.
