Once again, prehistoric creatures point the way to our most highly evolved selves.
Jolted awake by a volcanic eruption, a baby Pteranodon is faced with a moral dilemma.
Having taught their beloved son all the life skills he needs to be successfully launched, Pteranodon’s parents fly away in the night, leaving him asleep in their nest. Peering down, he now sees, beneath a pile of rubble, a wounded Tyrannosaurus, suffering vision loss, perhaps as a result of concussion. Pteranodon remembers his parents’ lessons: He should be strong, kind, wary of the dangerous Tyrannosaurus—and he must help those in need. After pondering how to apply their advice to this particularly sticky situation, Pteranodon tenderly cares for Tyrannosaurus, clearing away rocks, blanketing him in leaves when it rains, and feeding him berries. When Tyrannosaurus recovers and regains his sight, the story takes a refreshingly surprising (and deeply poignant) twist, sure to provoke sophisticated conversations about our motivations for charitable behavior. The fifth entry in a series from Japan, this title features the trademark intensely saturated, bold colors and simple shapes rendered in thick black lines. Tyrannosaurus manages to appear both frightening and sympathetic, while plucky little Pteranodon embodies grit. An open, ambiguous ending allows readers to speculate about whether and how Tyrannosaurus may have been changed by this experience—a welcome contrast to books that deliver a potted message.
Once again, prehistoric creatures point the way to our most highly evolved selves. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-940842-24-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Museyon
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
PERSPECTIVES
Wins for compassion and for the refusal to let physical limitations hold one back.
With such short arms, how can Tiny T. Rex give a sad friend a hug?
Fleck goes for cute in the simple, minimally detailed illustrations, drawing the diminutive theropod with a chubby turquoise body and little nubs for limbs under a massive, squared-off head. Impelled by the sight of stegosaurian buddy Pointy looking glum, little Tiny sets out to attempt the seemingly impossible, a comforting hug. Having made the rounds seeking advice—the dino’s pea-green dad recommends math; purple, New Age aunt offers cucumber juice (“That is disgusting”); red mom tells him that it’s OK not to be able to hug (“You are tiny, but your heart is big!”), and blue and yellow older sibs suggest practice—Tiny takes up the last as the most immediately useful notion. Unfortunately, the “tree” the little reptile tries to hug turns out to be a pterodactyl’s leg. “Now I am falling,” Tiny notes in the consistently self-referential narrative. “I should not have let go.” Fortunately, Tiny lands on Pointy’s head, and the proclamation that though Rexes’ hugs may be tiny, “I will do my very best because you are my very best friend” proves just the mood-lightening ticket. “Thank you, Tiny. That was the biggest hug ever.” Young audiences always find the “clueless grown-ups” trope a knee-slapper, the overall tone never turns preachy, and Tiny’s instinctive kindness definitely puts him at (gentle) odds with the dinky dino star of Bob Shea’s Dinosaur Vs. series.
Wins for compassion and for the refusal to let physical limitations hold one back. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7033-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
