Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 15, 2016

Review

Fear the cranky toddler. The dinosaur known as the Grumpasaurus has a meltdown and prolonged tantrum. The rest of the story shows what happens when he has his meltdown and how to handle it. This indeed, is written like a field guide. The pages look like weathered notebook paper. The illustrations are cartoon like and some look like doodles as would appear in a field guide. The illustrations are done in oils on panel. The text appears as written by a typewriter, as it would in a field guide. There occasional words that appear larger and in different fonts and colors to demonstrate importance or action. The text is tongue and cheek humorous, as it instructs the reader how to handle the Grumpasuarus. Finally, the reader discovers how to approach said beastie - give it a gift. There are too many complex words in this book to work as a beginning reader. It is best for independent readers. It would also work well for one on one sharing or in a story time setting. Pair it with "Grumpy Pants" by Claire Messer and "Grumpy Cat" by Britta Teckentrup for an amusing story time on moods. Or you could also pair it with any of Jane Yolen's "How Do Dinosaurs..." series for a misbehaving dinosaur story time, even though the Grumpasaurus in question is actually a toddler. The one weakness here is when it is revealed that the Grumpasuarus can only be approached if you are bearing a gift. Once that happens the temper tantrum ends and the Grumpasaurus turns back into a little boy. That is not a good message. But at least in the story the one bearing gifts is his mother and the gift is his repaired teddy bear. Still, this is an amusing story, well-conceived and well-executed. This is a first purchase for most libraries.

Overall Book Score: very good