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Summary
Summary
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.
Author Notes
Edward Hemingway is the author-illustrator of Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship and Bad Apple's Perfect Day, among other picture books, and has also illustrated books for adults. Originally from Bozeman, Montana, he now lives and works in Brooklyn. Visit his website at edward-hemingway.squarespace.com .
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
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 © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
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. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
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 sightin 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) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Who's that stomping into the fold of disgruntled picture-book characters? Humorously presented in the style of a field guide, this book offers tips for identification of the Grumpasaurus (the dark cloud above its head is a dead giveaway); observations on behavior; and advice for placating the beast. In this instance, the presence of a broken toy summons the Grumpasaurus, who proceeds to tantrum in the vicinity of the nearest adult. This fearsome display earns it a bath, which only heightens its displeasure. How, then, to banish such an unpleasant creature? A quick repair of the broken toy puts things to rights, and soon the Grumpasaurus is replaced by a smiling little boy. Hemingway's oil paintings effectively depict the range of a tot's grumpiness through labeled diagrams see the flaring nostrils, the hostilely folded arms. Though the final message, that poor behavior can be dispelled through gift giving, leaves something to be desired, there is a lot to enjoy about the joke that bad-tempered kids transform into mini beasts, especially for parents.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2016 Booklist
