CALM YOUR ROAR LIKE A DINOSAUR

Dinosaurs offer guidance on unpacking big emotions.

Little ones grappling with anger, irritation, or restlessness are invited to follow a young orange triceratops through a series of exercises. “Feeling frustrated, frenzied, or full of ROAR? Calm yourself like a dinosaur!” As the initially crabby-looking triceratops meets larger dinos, it receives useful lessons on stretching—and so do readers. A purple creature resembling a T. rex flashes its teeth: “OPEN YOUR JAWS, then open some more…Now relax your jaws and calm the roar.” On another page, another dino—perhaps a brontosaurus or a brachiosaurus—gazes at the triceratops: “STRETCH YOUR NECK, then stretch some more…Now relax your neck to calm the roar.” A pteranodon extends its wings: “LIFT YOUR WINGS, then lift some more. Now relax your wings to calm the roar.” That comforting refrain recurs throughout before the authors bring the book to a close: “Now you are a…Relaxosaur!” Joseph’s big-eyed, sweet-faced dinos are downright adorable, depicted in vibrant hues, while the text is buoyant and easy to follow. Backmatter on the Progressive Muscle Relaxation technique follows, with a reader’s note that will help adults guide young children in learning how to self-regulate.

Interactive prehistoric fun—and a solid primer on coping with stress.