In this pointed prehistoric episode, little Jackson, derisively dubbed a “tinysaur,” defends a jar of jelly beans from a dino-bully.
Jackson’s warning that the jelly beans belong to his “really, really, really big friend” prompts only scoffing from his glowering assailant. Sarcastically declaring himself “really, really, really scared,” the increasingly angry bully demonstrates various feats of strength, each of which Jackson dismisses: “Everyone knows my friend can eat show-offs like you for breakfast.” This claim turns out to be (more or less) true, as the rolling green hills on which the confrontation has been taking place are revealed on the climactic spread to be the back of Jackson’s monstrous buddy after the “cave” into which the bully runs closes with a “SNAP!” Fortunately, the monster turns out to be a vegetarian and releases his chastened victim. The episode, illustrated with big, simple cartoons in jelly-bean colors and related in lines of variously sized large type, ends with all three dinosaurs amicably sharing the candy, “One for him…And one for you…AND ONE FOR ME!”
A toothy, toothsome tale—if stronger on wish-fulfillment than feasible bully-fooling. (Picture book. 5-7)
