No T. Rex in the Library

Tess's mother asks her to sit quietly for 10 minutes at the library, but when a dinosaur comes roaring to life out of the pages of the book before her, Tess gets pulled along on a wild romp through all the genres!

This is a cute book in concept, but I felt it lacked a little something that I can't quite name. I love the idea of exploring all the different pages of the books as though they are real-life adventures. I am less in love with the idea of a parent just walking away from a child and expecting the library to be the babysitter. (That's maybe more of a personal hang-up, but unfortunately I've seen it in real life, so it's not fantastical.)

The illustrations aren't really in a style I prefer either, but they work well enough with show more this silly, energetic story. show less

This was a clever way to look at correct library behavior. I loved the idea that characters came out of the books and started rampaging around the library. The pictures were great and it has a good rhythm for reading out loud.

Summary: Tess' mother brings her to the library. She is out of control and throwing a fit, and her mom leaves her for 10 minutes and tells her to be quiet. In her anger, she knocks over a book shelf, and when a book falls open, T. Rex escapes from it and starts running around wreaking havoc in the library. She jumps on his back, and they are off. He knocks open many more books, and as they fall open their characters and settings invade the library. Tess pleads with him to be careful with the books and to stop, especially as T. Rex begins to intentionally ruin them. She tells him he's out of control and puts him in time out, and is finally able to return him to the book he came from for 10 minutes of quiet time.
Genre Critique: This is a show more good example of fantasy because the entire plot is impossible, as is the dinosaur character and the ever changing settings as books fall open. However, the story is one you as a reader get drawn into such that you don't focus on the absolute ridiculousness of it all.
Style: The author used a lot of onomatopoeia, which made the reading really fun and engaging.
Media: Colored Pencil, Gauche, Markers, Acrylics, Soft Pastels and Collage show less

I wasn't crazy about this book at first, because the mother puts her little girl in time-out--in the library! At first, the little girl just seems to be causing a raucus, but as the story unfolds, her imagine seems to come out.

A fun read aloud, great art! Tess is on a time-out in library when she knocks over a book T-Rex hops out and begins an adventure. Tess tries to tame the out of control dinosaur when he begins destroying the books, finally Tess puts T-Rex on a timeout.. Great story about library behavior.

I wasn't as impressed with this book as much as I am about combining dinosaurs and the library. Uses of onomonopeias was useful, I suppose. I think my students may like it for independent reading but I will most likely not use for a read-aloud. The story, however, can be used when addressing children's behavior in a library and/or rules to follow in a community.

This book has a great source of literary devices. It's fun and exciting, adventurous and thrilling. It would be great for keeping younger kid's attention with all of the colorful language and action verbs.