Tyrannosaurus Wrecks!

Bardhan-Quallen and OHora may not have the monopoly on the pun around which this book is based, but that doesn’t stop them from having a blast with it. They take readers to a classroom where Apatosaurus colors a picture of a volcano, Gallimimus helps build a block tower, an overalls-wearing Iguanodon reads quietly, and Tyrannosaurus—well, you can probably guess. Ohora (No Fits, Nilson!) paints this antihero as a small orange terror in a striped shirt and sneakers, but his bad behavior quickly catches up with him, and his classmates shun him: “Tyrannosaurus leaving—/ Dinosaurs are glad./ Tyrannosaurus lonely,/ Miserable, and sad.” Bardhan-Quallen’s (Duck, Duck, Moose!) verse stomps along like T-Wrecks himself, but she makes it clear he’s not a bad guy; he tries hard to make amends, and the final scene proves he’s not the only tiny dino capable of making a mistake. Punchy writing, an equally in-your-face palette, and Ohora’s characteristically brash painting style make this as much a stompalong as a readaloud. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Rachel Orr, Prospect Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary Agency. (Apr.)