HOW DINOSAURS WENT EXTINCT

A reimagined version of dinosaur extinction (and a reminder not to run with scissors).

Racing up the steps of a museum, a youngster in a dinosaur onesie is excited. Ever curious, the tot asks the age-old question: “How did dinosaurs go extinct anyway?” One of the child’s caregivers starts to offer a scientific explanation, but a presumed father (wearing a “Dadasaurus Wrecks” T-shirt) interrupts to expound on the many dangers that dinosaurs faced. “Gallimimus ran with scissors.” “Ankylosaurus tipped in their chair.” “Spinosaurus swam after eating.” “Tyrannosaurus rex didn’t change underwear.” (Tyrannosaurus is shown wearing their tighty whities, surrounded by flies, breezily asking, “What’s the worst that could happen?”) Poor Ornithomimus jumps on the bed and flies off to oblivion, while Triceratops doesn’t wear a helmet while snowboarding. The silly, rule-breaking dinosaurs all meet the same disastrous fate. Harney’s energetic art buoys the drama of the hilarious, untimely ends. There is a bit of comedic blood splatter and lost limbs alongside bubble gum coming out the bottom of a Brachiosaurus. Twenty-three extinction possibilities are explored, with a helpful pronunciation guide for each dinosaur. A nod toward Heinrich Hoffmann’s Struwwelpeter (1845) and Edward Gorey’s The Gashlycrumb Tinies (1963), this tale of the exaggerated consequences of misbehavior just may have child readers rethinking their own actions. Human characters are tan-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Dinophiles will rejoice; storytimes will be even sillier.