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SEA REX by Molly Idle

SEA REX

by Molly Idle ; illustrated by Molly Idle

Pub Date: May 26th, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-670-78574-2
Publisher: Viking

Idle’s Cretaceous dinos, having learned tea etiquette and some important guidelines for camping trips (Tea Rex, 2013; Camp Rex, 2014), now tackle the beach.

As in previous outings, the text seems lifted straight from a guidebook: “You never know what treasures you may find. / Even the smallest shell… // can contain the ocean’s mighty roar!” The tongue-in-cheek illustrations are the stars, though, this one showing the T. Rex (an overgrown tyke) yanking on a “shell” he’s found, which is really the nose horn of a triceratops. Other hysterical highlights include the T. Rex’s sunburn, the dramatic rescue of Cordelia’s brother’s beloved teddy bear (stolen by sea gulls), and the unlucky Cordelia’s many scrapes. Beachgoers can relate to almost every bit of advice here, from not swimming right after eating to jumping feet first, though their own beach adventures may pale in comparison to the ones depicted in Idle’s Prismacolor pencil illustrations, which depict an expanse of sand devoid of other human beachgoers. Still, the sand castle–building and wave riding and pesky sea gulls will be very familiar, as will that wonderful feeling at the end of the day when calm settles as the sun sets.

Captures a day at the beach in hysterical dino style.

(Picture book. 4-8)