Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug

December 1, 2018
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)

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March 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-Tiny's name says it all. He is the smallest in his T. rex family, simply giving a friend a hug is hard because of his disproportionately small arms. A cast of anthropomorphic dinosaur family members offer advice on a range of topics from math to sports, giving Tiny time to plan a strategy, get stronger, and practice, practice, practice, until an accidental flight experience drops him into the perfect opportunity to give a hug. Digitally colored and wildly fantastic, this is a sweet and satisfying read. From his father, Tiny learns that Rexes are thinkers and love math, he gets lost in his mother's desk drawer but finds that she admires his kindness and creativity, he learns the importance of practice from his Ping-Pong-playing brother and sister, and he discovers on his own that he should not practice a hug on a cactus. While each family member shares ideas about learning and doing, it is Tiny who learns about caring and the positives of independent, creative thinking to achieve the impossible. VERDICT A solid purchase for libraries with readers who simply live for the next dinosaur book and an engaging storytime selection.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

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