Dino-Gro

An absorbing—and absorbent—tale of togetherness with turns both comical and dramatic. (Picture book. 5-7)

This crisp, tightly focused comedy by Myers (the Infamous Ratsos series) offers an adorably absorbant hero and well-timed laughs. Light-skinned Cole's Dino-Gro is a tiny blue dinosaur of the variety that expands in water. Unlike others, though, this toy seeks out liquid, starting with Cole's bedside water glass, and grows unceasingly. ("What happened to you?" asks Cole. "Wet," Dino-Gro responds, wearing a shy-pleased grin.) And indeed the house is full of wet--the dog's bowl, a flower vase, a sprinkler--and the dinosaur finds it all in a slow march toward mammoth proportions. Cole's suburban parents (Dad has a sharp goatee and a solid side-eye; Mom is pregnant and serene) remonstrate, much to Cole's distress. Fortunately, the wayward blue giant soon has a chance to redeem himself. The humor comes from contrasts between big and small--as with the petite hair dryer Cole uses in an attempt to dry Dino-Gro out. The outsize pet who saves the day is a potent fantasy, and Myers's take on it underscores the way that the unexpected can be inconvenient but also offer valuable gifts. Ages 3-7. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (June)

PreS-Gr 2--Cole is disappointed with a new toy dinosaur called Dino-Gro, because it's so little! But while he is considering the next steps, Dino-Gro jumps into a glass of water. Then the creek. The fish tank. A shower. Dino-Gro craves water, and craves growing. Eventually, Dina-Gro is too big for the house and disappears. Cole despairs of ever seeing his friend again, but in an emergency (that creeps up in the illustrations just as it creeps up on Cole) Dino-Gro arrives to save the day. Cole has pale skin, as do his parents: his father has a kind of groovy beatnik vibe and his mother is very visibly pregnant. Myers does a brilliant job of using the illustrations to tell a lot of the story. The harmonious and complementary give and take of the art and text will have readers pointing out clues and rereading for extra details. VERDICT This book feels both classic and modern at the same time. Don't miss it!--Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elem., FL