Little Grunt and the Big Egg

March 1, 1990
The whole Grunt tribe is looking forward to a giant omelet when Little Grunt's egg hunt unearths a huge specimen. Their smiles of anticipation turn to frowns when the potential brunch source blossoms into a freshly hatched dinosaur. George is a lovable little fellow, then a lovable big fellow, then the disgruntled Grunts kick him out. He's not housebroken, and his immense size and strength create other annoyances, such as blowing away the relatives with a single sneeze. Little Grunt is broken-hearted until George proves his worth by rescuing the family from certain doom, and receives suitable approbation--and a final surprise. DePaola's books possess his inimitable stamp, and this prehistoric romp is no exception: the round-faced Grunt clan is unmistakably his, as are the many comical touches such as Chief Rockhead's green banana headdress and the ladies' costume jewelry. This lively twist on the familiar tale of a boy and his pet is sure to provoke giggles. Ages 4-8.

May 15, 2006
PreS-Gr. 2. Never pretending to be historically accurate, this "original fairy tale" will appeal to any child who has fantasized about having a pet dinosaur. Assigned to find eggs for the Grunt Tribe's Sunday brunch, "Little Grunt" drags an enormous egg home to his family's cave. That night, a dinosaur hatches from the egg. Little Grunt's family lets him keep the dinosaur, George, as a pet until he grows so enormous that the boy must release him back to the swamp. When a volcano erupts and the tribe seems doomed, George rescues everyone, carrying all to safety. With more funny moments than scary ones, the narrative is just right for read-alouds. The turquoise dinosaur stands out well against the dominant browns and grays of the cave and cave dwellers. Funny and well-paced, this should become a favorite for story hours.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)