View source for Hocus Pocus Diplodocus (Early Reader) by Steve Howson and Kate Daubney

{{infobox
|title=Hocus Pocus Diplodocus (Early Reader)
|author=Steve Howson and Kate Daubney
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Emerging Readers
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1848861121
|pages=32
|publisher=Maverick Arts Publishing
|date=August 2015
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848861788</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1848861788</amazonus>
|website=
|video=
|summary=Adapted fromn the 5* [[Hocus Pocus Diplodocus by Steve Howson and Kate Daubney|picture book]] of the same title this turquoise book band early reader is going to be a big hit with boys and girls alike.
}}

We first met Hocus Pocus Diplodocus in a [[Hocus Pocus Diplodocus by Steve Howson and Kate Daubney|picture book]] and here's what our reviewer, Zoë, had to say about it:

Magic is a lot of fun, but did you ever think about how it started? Pre-David Blaine? Pre-Dynamo? Pre-Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee? You need to look much further back than the 80s to find the answer, you know, because the first magician was in the days of the dinosaurs. Meet Hocus Pocus Diplodocus.

This is a lovely, simple, entertaining story that will have little ones giggling from the start. There are lots of little comments that make the story a little bit 'naughty' (though it's all entirely age appropriate) and funny things happen, like the baddy's teeth falling out, which are easy to understand and repeated in both the words and the lovely illustrations. Throw in some words like ''burp'' and ''dribble'' and ''pimplebottom'' and the whole story seems delightfully rude (to a pre-schooler's eyes).

This is a straightforward picture book that works perfectly. The text is clear, well spaced and simple. The pictures are bright and all the animals friendly and pulling silly faces. Plus it explains how dinosaurs left the Earth (note how I didn't put ''died out''). The science may be dodgy but it's no worse than any of those tales that are thinly veiled bible stories.

This is sure to be a popular book. Hocus is adorable and a worthy leader for a story in which quite a bit happens. There are mishaps but there's success too, and most of all, like any good magician, he doesn't reveal any of his secrets!

Thanks, Zoë!

Those lovely people at Maverick Arts have now converted the original picture book into an early reader.  The format is smaller - more in line with 'book' rather than 'picture book' size, but it would still work well as a picture book as the gorgeous illustrations are still there.  The vocabulary is challenging in places (''diplodocuses'' is not easy to get your brain around, even as an adult, or is that just me?) but presented in a clear font which is a pleasure to read.  There's a slight gloss on the page, but not so much as to be distracting and the paper is of a good-enough quality to prevent bleed-through from the reverse of the page which can confuse new readers or those with dyslexia.  It's a classy early reader!

Thanks go to the publishers for supplying this book. 

There's more dino fun to be had in [[The Littlest Dinosaur's Big Adventure by Michael Foreman]] and [[The Dirty Great Dinosaur by Martin Waddell and Leonie Lord]]. For more early readers we can recommend [[Mr Monkey and the Birthday Party (Early Reader) by Linda Chapman and Sam Hearn]] and [[Horrid Henry's Royal Riot (Horrid Henry Early Reader) by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross]]

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[[Category:Steve Howson]]
[[Category:Kate Daubney]]