The Children’s Book Review | May 10, 2014
By Aaron Reynolds; Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard
Hardcover: 32 pages
Age Range: 2-4
Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 1, 2014)
ISBN: 9781452124544
What to Expect: Dinosaurs, Imagination, Anger, Apologies
I read this book to my two-year-old, who can be perfectly summed up as a “Destructosaurus”: Much like the dinosaur in the book, he has his moments where I am pretty sure he is out to destroy our house (and then he may very well move on to New York). He loved the book, and was captivated by the colorful illustrations, images of desolation, and we shared a few chuckles over things that he has heard me say to him more than once:
“Watch your manners!”
“Wipe your feet!”
“What do you think you are doing?”
Goodness, maybe I should just start calling him Destructosaurus. But the part of the book that really got me as a mom was when the mother in the book realizes that her child isn’t destroying the house for fun—it’s because he needs something, his precious teddy bear, and he lacks the wherewithal to convey to his mom exactly what he needs. The book was a good reminder to me and to my son that sometimes toddler tantrums are just because of their inability to communicate, and it’s our job as parents to help them through the rough times. And to give them a hug when the destruction is over. Highly Recommended!
Add this book to your collection: Here Comes Destructosaurus!, by Aaron Reynolds
Activity Kit: Download from Chronicle Books
About the Author
Aaron Reynolds works full time as a speaker/presenter and teacher. He has written many great books for kids, including Carnivores. He lives in Fox River, Illinois.
About the Illustrator
Jeremy Tankard is the author and illustrator of wonderful and silly books for children. He grew up in South Africa, the United States, and Canada. He currently resides in Vancouver, Canada.
Here Comes Destructosaurus!, by Aaron Reynolds and Jeremy Tankard, was reviewed by Amanda Lynch. Follow along with our Aaron Reynolds and Jeremy Tankard tags to discover more of their awesome books, or, check out this great list of dinosaur books: Dinosaur Books for Budding Paleontologists.