Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus

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. [em]Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management. (June) [/em]