Huge, fanciful dinosaurs confront their parents at bedtime in this playful romp. How does a dinosaur act when Papa comes in to say it's bedtime? “Does he slam his tail and pout? Does he throw his teddy bear all about?” Teague’s paintings tell the story. First the father appears at the child's door and reacts with surprise, or anger, or shock to each described behavior. Then, the mothers take over. Of course, dinosaurs don't really act that way. They turn off the light, go quietly to bed, and give extra hugs and kisses to their parents. Teague’s humorous, detailed, and colorful paintings give the context to Yolen’s simple verse. Each huge dinosaur lives in a child's bedroom surrounded by familiar toys, books, and pets that sometimes bear the brunt of the dinosaur's temper. One fearful dog wraps his body around the bedpost when his Trachodon shouts for one more book. Dinosaurs tower over their bemused, bewildered, or distressed ethnically diverse parents who range in age from young to middle aged, just as in real life! After they learn the names of each of the species pictured on the endpapers, children may enjoy finding their names hidden in the illustrations each time a new species is introduced. Verse and illustration are beautifully matched in these bedtime scenarios familiar to all parents of young children. (Picture book. 3-7)
