Raising Rufus

Eleven-year-old Martin Tinker prefers hunting for “stones, dried leaves, and dead bugs” in the Wisconsin woods and experimenting in his “lab” (the barn on his property) to spending time with real-life friends. After he discovers a large egg frozen deep in a quarry, it hatches into an unusual lizard that immediately imprints on Martin, who names the creature Rufus. It doesn’t take Martin long to realize his lizard is actually a fast-growing tyrannosaur, a fact he keeps hidden from his parents. New girl Audrey befriends Martin, and when she discovers Rufus, he becomes a secret the two share. But Rufus’s growth (and growing appetite) are problems, and when Martin’s father’s boss, who owns a theme park, learns of the existence of a real, live dinosaur, Rufus’s future is in jeopardy. The premise of Fulk’s first children’s book has immediate appeal, and Martin’s difficulties with his father (who wishes his son was more into sports than science) and school bullies are handled well. While the pace can be slow, readers will stick around to see what becomes of Rufus. Ages 9–12. (June)