A Dinosaur Ate My Homework

by Ray Nelson Jr., Ben Adams, Douglas Kelly

Including a complete dinosaur family tree and glossary, this book is a humorous story in which seemingly incompatible humans and dinosaurs mix. It all begins when Earl P. Sidebottom, a devoted young student, is forced to report to his teacher that a Tyrannosaurus Rex ate his homework.

Genres: Dinosaurs, Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1994

About the author

Ray Nelson Jr. is President and co-founder of Flying Rhinoceros, a Portland-based producer and distributor of educational books, classroom materials, television cartoons, software and websites.

Ray is also the main author and illustrator of the Flying Rhinoceros educational book series and creator of the characters in the CBS television show "Flying Rhino Junior High." Ray previously worked for five years at Will Vinton Studios, where he animated the California Raisins and worked on two Emmy award-winning television specials. Since starting Flying Rhinoceros in 1993, Ray has also appeared in hundreds of schools to provide interactive workshops to students of all ages, exploring the creative worlds of cartooning, writing, illustrating and animation.

Reviews

[Edward Sojuwa]

A combo of fanciful fiction, Seuss-esque rhyme and fun filled factoids about dinosaurs. To prove dinos ate the homework, a small boy decides to put on the ultimate show and tell: bring his dino-buds to hang with the school kids. The kids scream, not in fear but in sheer delight! (Of course only in fiction is this possible!) Too bad the dinos have to go to detention. Why? Does the term CITY WIDE CARNAGE or COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO SCHOOL GROUNDS mean anything to anyone? Certainly the teachers could Sue for how the Brachiosaurs left their parking lot in ruins!!! Anyway, it's a humorous take on the concept that first appeared in none other than "that stupid Dino movie from Spielberg!": the one with the chaos theory. Y'know, the theory that (gulp) ain't exactly a theory in terms of...chaos?
Four stars
Laughs find a way in this cool book of dinos!

[Christie Wright]

A dino-lover's dream! A fun story written in rhyme with lots of sidebar info incorporated into the illustrations. You will definitely learn something. And a laugh a little, too.