Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus

March 7, 2016
Mimicking the look and tone of a researcher’s notebook, Hemingway (Bad Apple’s Perfect Day) keeps a wary eye on “the world’s most fearsome creature,” the grumpsaurus, “most often seen sulking around the room after a great tragedy or mishap.” In this case, the young stegosaurus-like creature is upset about a broken toy—a storm cloud manifests over his head, and his loud “grumps” can be heard throughout the neighborhood (“What, exactly, is it trying to say? No one knows for sure”). Hemingway overplays the ending, unnecessarily transforming the dino into a human boy when the parallels to readers’ everyday lives are already clear. But the book’s knowing sense of humor, entertaining oil paintings, and pseudoscientific conceit give the term grumpasaurus a good chance of making its way into many families’ lexicons. Ages 4–7. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management.

April 15, 2016
An effervescent how-to for the wrangling of fearsome, tantrum-prone beasties.Beware the "world's most fearsome creature" and learn how to recognize it on sight--in this case, a bipedal stegosaurus. Most often spotted in a sulk after a great wrong (in this case, an injured teddy bear), the Grumpasaurus is best avoided. The family house cat learns the hard way why this creature should be approached only with great caution, if at all. Anger unabated, the distraught dino continues its fearsome approach until at last its mother comes with repaired toy in hand, and the Grumpasaurus, now a happy, light-skinned boy, cuddles toy and cat in peace. The guide seems to have been written with siblings in mind, but all would do well to heed the warning of this book. Though the implication is that tantrums are solved solely by parental intervention (in this case, the immediate repair of the tattered teddy), there are still worthy takeaways, not least a chuckle or two. The tantrums depicted operate at a low ebb, and the cat is only mildly terrorized. Hemingway gives his "guide" a faintly retro look, placing his figures on faux-aged lined paper and labeling his diagrams with mid-20th-century flair. For all the clouds and gloom, this dino remains brightly rendered.Kids will sympathize, parents will recognize, siblings will familiarize. (Picture book. 3-6)

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June 1, 2016

Toddler-PreS-Have you ever seen a Grumpasaurus? It's a rather small creature, but it's fearsome, especially when it's in distress. Hemingway's picture book explores how to spot a Grumpasaurus, a creature that most readers will easily recognize. After the narrator identifies a tragedy (a broken toy) and describing its behavior, readers are told to "approach with caution" and that it is "best to be curious about the Grumpasaurus from a safe distance." An adult attempts to calm the Grumpasaurus with a bath, but it's a mended toy that dissolves all tantrums and tears to reveal the human boy within. The art is set on a notebook layout, with yellowed lined paper. Oil-painted rain clouds and other domestic accents are provided to create a more homey setting. The typeface is small, and most of the storytelling is captured in the sidelines and captions, which further explain the creature's antics. While the message that it is "simply never a good idea to approach the Grumpasaurus unless...bearing gifts" is a somewhat faulty one, the repaired teddy does the trick, and Grumpasaurus's transformation from prickly to huggable is totally toddlerlike and satisfying. VERDICT Probably best for one-on-one sharing for those seeking a different kind of dinosaur story and those wanting to acknowledge and talk about strong emotions. This tale will surely resonate with young audiences.-Briana Moore, School Library Journal

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