The Dinosaur’s Packed Lunch by Jacqueline Wilson
I’ve been waiting many years to read a Jacqueline Wilson, but they are ‘too girly’ for my boys.
The Dinosaur’s Packed Lunch is a book for younger children and is my daughter’s very favourite book. It looks like a chapter book, but has coloured illustrations on every page. It is written in consultation with reading experts, so it is easy for children to read themselves.
As in most Jacqueline Wilson books, the main character is a disadvantaged girl. Dinah lives with her dad and is grumpy and unpopular. Then she goes on a school trip and something amazing happens. Suddenly she is popular, although still definitely rather strange.
It’s suitable for 6 and 7 year olds who are gaining confidence in reading, but not quite ready for a ‘proper’ chapter book. For an adult reading out loud it would take no more than 10 minutes.
When we haven’t got time for a bedtime story or sometimes even when we have, my daughter likes to read a few pages in bed. It’s a great introduction to reading.
The problem is, she keeps asking for other Jacqueline Wilson books – and I know we’ve got a few years until she’s ready for those!
