Stop That Dinosaur!

Alex English

Ben Cort

Bloomsbury, 2021

32pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781408888414

I was in my Granny’s kitchen eating extra-special cake,
when the walls began to tremble and the roof began to SHAKE.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Ring! Ring! Ring! Oh MY – a dino’s at the door.
And now it’s taken Granny … SOMEONE STOP THAT DINOSAUR!

Grabbing her scooter, the little girl races off after the dinosaur careering through the park, the town and the woods, all the time shouting. But to no avail.  Finally, the inevitable happens and she falls, grazing her knees and bruising her bum.  And when she shouts for her Gran, suddenly the dinosaur re-appears with her and explains why he stole her in the first place.

Using rhyme to develop a pace as fast as the little girl on her scooter and convey the sense of urgency and drama of the situation, and big, bright, bold illustrations that have lots of humorous details to discover, this is a story that will appeal to everyone who likes dinosaurs and/or grandmothers.  They will be able to join in the chorus to stop the brontosaurus and have much fun in doing so as they follow the chase. It highlights the special relationships little ones have with their grandmothers and the things they do together, (although this grandmother cannot lay claim to baking apple pie or cakes!)  

One to share and just got the delight of the words rolling off the tongue!