Gigantosaurus

May 26, 2014
The lessons of Aesop’s fables are just as applicable in the Cretaceous as they are today, as Duddle (The King of Space) demonstrates in a witty cautionary tale that boils down to “The Ankylosaurus Who Cried Wolf.” Four tiny dinos have had it drummed into their boney, horned heads to beware the fiercest predator of them all, Gigantosaurus (an author’s note explains that while this creature is fictional, the similarly named giganotosaurus was real). “His feet go STOMP!/ His jaws go CRUNCH!/ In the blink of an eye,/ you’d be his LUNCH!” warn the dinosaurs’ mothers. Bonehead, a tiny ankylosaurus, offers to serve as a lookout as his friends play amid towering ferns, termite mounds, and sun-bleached skeletons. But after he tricks his friends one too many times into thinking that Gigantosaurus is descending upon them, they abandon him just as the danger gets real. Duddle’s digital illustrations create a rich prehistoric world with an almost sculptural depth, and his bug-eyed dinosaurs exude personality. Bouncy rhymes and a narrative propelled by alternating moments of terror and relief make for a lively, mischievous read. Ages 3–7. Agent: Arena Illustration.