Here’s another blast-from-the-past that has been in heavy rotation on Radio Bedtime. Danny and the Dinosaur, first published in 1958, is the story of a boy’s visit to the museum where he befriends a big, friendly dinosaur who’s good at running and climbing and being a pedestrian bridge, but not so great at hide-and-seek.

According to Jack, who usually selects this one, the best part is the dinosaur playing hide-and-seek. He tries to hide behind a gas tank and a billboard, but he’s far too big and easily spotted. Luckily, Danny and the other kids decide to pretend they can’t see him, and the game is a success.

The copy that we’re reading is one from my own childhood library. I can’t remember what my thoughts on it were; I was a dinosaur-obsessed child, so I imagine that I (a) loved the book for its subject matter, but (b) was troubled that the dinosaur was never identified by its scientific nomenclature (I used to correct my mother’s pronounciation when she read to me from my dinosaur books; she hated that…). Jack and Peter aren’t quite as bad as I was — their obsession is trains, and I dare not misidentify any of the engines that live on the Island of Sodor–so they seem to enjoy the story for its magical museum visit and dinosaur games.