Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus: A Funny Story About Lovable Grumpy Dinosaurs for Kids (Ages 4-7)

Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus: A Funny Story About Lovable Grumpy Dinosaurs for Kids (Ages 4-7)

Have you ever met a Grumpasaurus? I bet you have. In fact, you may even have one in your own home. Want to know what makes them tick? This handy guide, meticulously researched and lovingly illustrated, tells you everything you need to know. Above all they should be handled with care—otherwise they can become VERY loud and VERY fearsome. In this appealingly modern and clever picture book, a field guide format is applied to the study of the cranky child . . . er, rather, the GRUMPASAURUS . . . who, in spite of himself, will win your heart. 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 "...Grumpasaurus’s transformation from prickly to huggable is totally toddlerlike and satisfying." —School Library Journal "An effervescent how-to for the wrangling of fearsome, tantrum-prone beasties...Kids will sympathize, parents will recognize, siblings will familiarize."  —Kirkus "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."   —Publishers Weekly Edward Hemingway is the author-illustrator of the picture books Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship and Bad Apple’s Perfect Day, and the illustrator of two popular adult books, Of All the Gin Joints and Hemingway & Bailey's Bartending Guide to Great American Writers . A grandson of Ernest Hemingway, he is originally from Bozeman, Montana and now lives and works in Brooklyn.