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Bigger Than You: A Funny Picture Book About Playground Dinosaurs and Taking Turns for Kids
This picture book debut puts a fresh spin on playground dynamics, conflict resolution, relative size, and most important, dinosaurs! With an engaging concept, educational back matter, and a dinosaur growth chart, this engaging playground tale is perfect for curious children and fans of Byron Barton’s Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs and Jane Yolen’s How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
“I’m bigger than you!” announces the Iguanodon.
“I’m bigger than you!” argues the Triceratops.
“I’m MORE TERRIBLE than you!” yells the Tyrannosaurus.
Playground antics have never been as much fun—and never visually depicted so much about relative size and weight—as in Hyewon Kyung’s picture book debut. A group of young dinosaurs builds a makeshift seesaw and then takes turns playing on it until the bossy, big, and TERRIBLE Tyrannosaurus goes too far, and Mom steps in to deflate the situation and encourage a peaceful and productive new game. Kyung’s detailed and humorous illustrations will capture the attention of all young dinosaur fans, the short text is ideal for new readers, and the size chart, dinosaur facts, and information about simple machines keep adding to the fun. Promotes cooperation and curiosity—the perfect choice for family and story time sharing.
“I’m bigger than you!” announces the Iguanodon.
“I’m bigger than you!” argues the Triceratops.
“I’m MORE TERRIBLE than you!” yells the Tyrannosaurus.
Playground antics have never been as much fun—and never visually depicted so much about relative size and weight—as in Hyewon Kyung’s picture book debut. A group of young dinosaurs builds a makeshift seesaw and then takes turns playing on it until the bossy, big, and TERRIBLE Tyrannosaurus goes too far, and Mom steps in to deflate the situation and encourage a peaceful and productive new game. Kyung’s detailed and humorous illustrations will capture the attention of all young dinosaur fans, the short text is ideal for new readers, and the size chart, dinosaur facts, and information about simple machines keep adding to the fun. Promotes cooperation and curiosity—the perfect choice for family and story time sharing.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
October 12, 2018
A cute picture book for young readers about dinos learning to play together. I love the illustrations but there isn't much of a story. The double page spread naming all the dinos that appear in the book was a nice touch though.
August 22, 2018
A great combination of dinosaurs and exploring sizes without being didactic.
Just the right amount of color in the dinosaurs and drabness of the background.
This book will be much loved in a library setting.
Just the right amount of color in the dinosaurs and drabness of the background.
This book will be much loved in a library setting.
January 13, 2019
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Overall, this was an interesting read. The story itself is very simple. Multiple dinosaurs compare themselves on their prehistorical playground of sorts. The thing that really carried this book was the artwork. I loved the elegant style of it. The author's bio reveals it is made "by layering traditional Korean paper in various colors over her black-and-white drawings." I definitely liked the style.
The story itself was okay. Simple and repetitive, but in the end, not much of a plot. There is a lesson about playing nice together, but it is very simple.
I did like the educational materials at the end. There is a comparison illustration showing the sizes of the various dinosaurs mentioned in the book. There is also a little exercise showing how levers and inclined planes work.
While I wasn't a huge fan of the story, it still had a good message and I adored the artwork. 3 stars from me.
Overall, this was an interesting read. The story itself is very simple. Multiple dinosaurs compare themselves on their prehistorical playground of sorts. The thing that really carried this book was the artwork. I loved the elegant style of it. The author's bio reveals it is made "by layering traditional Korean paper in various colors over her black-and-white drawings." I definitely liked the style.
The story itself was okay. Simple and repetitive, but in the end, not much of a plot. There is a lesson about playing nice together, but it is very simple.
I did like the educational materials at the end. There is a comparison illustration showing the sizes of the various dinosaurs mentioned in the book. There is also a little exercise showing how levers and inclined planes work.
While I wasn't a huge fan of the story, it still had a good message and I adored the artwork. 3 stars from me.
April 8, 2024
Are you the kind of Goodreader who is thrilled by picture books based on pop psychology? Then you'll quickly spot that the dinosaur imagery here is what???
It's just the distracting spoonful of sugar that's supposed to make the behavioral medicine go down.
WHAT'S THE STORY ABOUT, REALLY?
- Playground dynamics
- Pint-sized conflict resolution
- And concepts around relative size of children.
Yeah, yeah. If you want, you can also be enchanted and thrilled by the pictures of dinosaurs.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY CONFLICT RESOLUTION?
One snippet of dialog will give you the picture. Two dinosaurs, playing --not so nicely -- on a kind of seesaw:
The red one says to the green one:
I'm more terrible than you!
Ooooh!
RATING THIS BOOK
In addition to a happy ending, this book contains a double-page chart showing various types of dinosaurs in size place.
Cute concept. And visually lovely, just like the rest of this FIVE STAR picture book.
It's just the distracting spoonful of sugar that's supposed to make the behavioral medicine go down.
WHAT'S THE STORY ABOUT, REALLY?
- Playground dynamics
- Pint-sized conflict resolution
- And concepts around relative size of children.
Yeah, yeah. If you want, you can also be enchanted and thrilled by the pictures of dinosaurs.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY CONFLICT RESOLUTION?
One snippet of dialog will give you the picture. Two dinosaurs, playing --not so nicely -- on a kind of seesaw:
The red one says to the green one:
I'm more terrible than you!
Ooooh!
RATING THIS BOOK
In addition to a happy ending, this book contains a double-page chart showing various types of dinosaurs in size place.
Cute concept. And visually lovely, just like the rest of this FIVE STAR picture book.
May 21, 2018
Totally charming take on sizes and the concept of "bigness" as baby dinosaurs compete to see who is biggest on the seesaw. When TRex realizes he is not bigger than brachiosaurus, he declares that he is more terrible. BUT TRex's mother is both bigger and more terrible (and the mom). All of the mothers help turn the seesaw into a slide and the dinosaurs play harmoniously after. While this book covers dinosaurs and basic machines, it ignores that aspect of the food chain in favor of good clean fun. A size scale at the end lists the dinosaurs by size, with name pronunciation and when they would have lived. A subsequent end page also explains simple machines and how they can become playground toys.
February 12, 2020
I really liked it. It's very simple, but it works well though. The dinosaur illustrations are great, nice and colorful. And it's just so hard to find good picture books on simple machines for the younger crowd - I think I love it just for that! This one is great for exploring levers and inclined planes, plus sizes and comparisons. Also dinosaurs! On a playground! Much much fun. I liked the notes in the back too, both about the simple machines presented as well as the dinosaur species appearing in the book.
I'd use it for a STEM storytime on simple machines (heck, even my bigger STEM kids would probably get a kick out of it), on a theme about playing with friends, on manners, on dinosaurs... Pretty much, I'd find a use for this one!
I'd use it for a STEM storytime on simple machines (heck, even my bigger STEM kids would probably get a kick out of it), on a theme about playing with friends, on manners, on dinosaurs... Pretty much, I'd find a use for this one!
February 7, 2019
This book had a great message and really fun illustrations of dinosaurs. I thought there wasn't that much depth because they only said a couple sentences throughout the book. However, I thought the theme of cooperation and playing nicely together was a great theme for children reading this book. I think at a young reader's age, it's important for them to read stories about playing nicely with other friends. I loved the pictures at the end with instructions on how to make your own fun toys from nature such as making your own "machines" with sticks and rocks. I thought this was a great way to encourage children to be creative in playtime and use their imagination.
October 3, 2019
What’s more fun than learning about dinosaurs? Learning about dinosaurs through something easy that kids naturally start talking about on their own: size! Each dinosaur that gets on the teeter-totter is bigger until the T-Rex gets beat out by the Brach and is not happy. Don’t worry though, Momma T-Rex reminds Baby T-Rex to play nicely. As a bonus in the back there’s a section with more about the dinosaurs and about simple machines (like the teeter-totter). The beautiful watercolor illustrations just made the whole thing one more step above.
November 4, 2018
A seesaw acts as a relative scale, proving each time that the next dinosaur is bigger than the one before.
When the seesaw finally breaks, a mom dinosaur steps in to promote playing nicely. They turn the remaining parts into a slide.
Back matter talks about the simple machines: Lever and Inclined Plane.
There's also info on each dinosaur illustrated (which shows that they couldn't have all played together).
When the seesaw finally breaks, a mom dinosaur steps in to promote playing nicely. They turn the remaining parts into a slide.
Back matter talks about the simple machines: Lever and Inclined Plane.
There's also info on each dinosaur illustrated (which shows that they couldn't have all played together).
November 12, 2018
This book was adorable, but I'm not a huge fan of the way the conflict was resolved? I'm not sure if it'll stick, or if the kids will just be t-rexes if left unchecked.
I appreciated the spread at the end naming the dinosaurs, but a size chart might have been nice. A Dimetrodon is "big," but what's "big?" Person-sized? Car-sized?
(Also, I sorta liked the quick lesson on simple machines, but it did seem as though it was kind of stuffed in there.)
I appreciated the spread at the end naming the dinosaurs, but a size chart might have been nice. A Dimetrodon is "big," but what's "big?" Person-sized? Car-sized?
(Also, I sorta liked the quick lesson on simple machines, but it did seem as though it was kind of stuffed in there.)
January 12, 2019
The best part of this book was the informational stuff at the back. Unfortunately, I think the educational content outweighs this book's interest by a long shot. Readers ages 1-2 will get the biggest kick out of it; biology and physics learning included probably falls around 1st or 2nd grade level. So there's a definite disconnect. Didn't find the illustrations/font choices to be terribly enchanting, either.
June 20, 2022
Has back matter on seesaws as levers, and inclined planes with "load" "effort" "fulcrum" "force" and "plane" labeled. Cute story with size comparisons until little T-Rex declares "I'm more terrible than you!" Also has back matter with size comparisons, Dino names/pronunication, and how many years ago they lived. From "Big" (Dimetrodon) 280 million years ago to "Biggest" (Brachiosaurus) 130-155 million years ago. Cute art too.
July 20, 2026
Cute book with cute illustrations and simple relatable story line of kids playing with mother implementing good behavior at end.
HUGE MATH SURPRISE: Good vocab of big and bigger for close to 2 year old. Simple number sense introduction of comparing numbers for 3-4 yr olds. Last 2 pages hit for older kids (kinder-third) with higher dinosaur language and facts, math and science concepts (simple machines)
HUGE MATH SURPRISE: Good vocab of big and bigger for close to 2 year old. Simple number sense introduction of comparing numbers for 3-4 yr olds. Last 2 pages hit for older kids (kinder-third) with higher dinosaur language and facts, math and science concepts (simple machines)
July 20, 2026
Cute book with cute illustrations and simple relatable story line of kids playing with mother implementing good behavior at end.
HUGE MATH SURPRISE: Good vocab of big and bigger for close to 2 year old. Simple number sense introduction of comparing numbers for 3-4 yr olds. Last 2 pages hit for older kids (kinder-third) with higher dinosaur language and facts, math and science concepts (simple machines)
HUGE MATH SURPRISE: Good vocab of big and bigger for close to 2 year old. Simple number sense introduction of comparing numbers for 3-4 yr olds. Last 2 pages hit for older kids (kinder-third) with higher dinosaur language and facts, math and science concepts (simple machines)
January 18, 2019
Very simple story told mostly with the pictures and very little text. My dinosaur-loving preschooler was totally engaged and wanted to read it over and over, which made me appreciate that it was so short haha. I appreciated the informational pages at the end listing the dinosaurs names and time periods, as well as explanations about the simple machines used in the story.
January 19, 2019
I'm in love with this because it's nailed being a fun story to read and one to use in a STEM lesson. There are several concepts happening in the story of dinosaurs at play including size and simple machines with a dash of manners thrown in. Families and teachers alike can find things around the house to bring to life the simple machines and tools that "make work easier (and playing more fun)."
February 12, 2021
This book is all about dinosaurs who want to play but none of them are the same size; someone is always bigger. This book was not one of my favorites just because there isn’t much of a story happening. The illustrations are great but wish the story was a bit more. The information page about the dinosaurs and their sizes is a goo touch especially when explaining to children about dinosaurs.
July 31, 2025
Dino kids playing...each one trying to say who is the biggest...each one focused on being 'top dog'! But the dino moms finally get them all to stop competing and just have fun playing! Really nice book that takes a look at how you can be competitive, but in a more friendly way. Really liked the art and the layout of the book!
July 31, 2026
On this dinosaur playground each dinosaur wants to be the biggest. Using a seesaw (or scale) they each get bigger and bigger until the biggest dinosaur is found. Then when the seesaw breaks they must work together to find a new way to play together. This book allows you to tlk about measuring and bring a fun STEAM aspect into storytime.
August 20, 2018
Size is relative, especially when Mom steps in to make sure that everyone is playing well together and getting along. Cute. Simple identification and info about the dinosaurs featured. Page in the very back about simple machines.
September 12, 2018
Read at baby, toddler, and family storytimes. Everyone enjoyed it. I didn't read but I loved pointing out the sizes of the dinosaurs at the end and the little physics lesson with the levers and balancing. Definitely encouraging people to do more!
September 22, 2018
A very simple and funny book about dinosaurs playing. The dinosaurs get bigger on every page as the text states "I'm Bigger Than You." Has a surprising lesson at the end about getting along. Would make a fun dinosaur storytime book.
October 19, 2018
This book is excellent for explaining size differences in certain dinosaurs! My favorite part was the back of the book that explained simple machines (essentially teeter-totter science)! What an awesome and cool inclusion! I actually exclaimed aloud in delighted surprise.
February 7, 2019
I'm sure I would have enjoyed this is a kid. Watercolor illustrations depict dinosaurs from big to biggest, with some simple science facts at the end. (Although, dino purists will be quick to point out Dimetrodon is not a dinosaur!)
July 2, 2019
The illustrations are playful and enjoyable. Bigger than you is a somewhat educational read, as it demonstrates the size difference of each character in a relatable way for children. This book also demonstrates that cooperating and being nice make playtime more enjoyable.
October 19, 2019
Dinosaur fans will like it. Dinos playing seesaw keep tipping the scale when one is much bigger than the other. In the end, the momma dinos intervene to put a stop to the competition. Although I don't get how that tree at the end was supposed to be a slide...
February 22, 2020
Each dinosaur gets progressively bigger than the first one. Does that mean they can’t play together? Will the biggest dinosaur be the bully? Or is there another dinosaur waiting in the wings?
Cute ... it also gets in some good information about simple machines.
Cute ... it also gets in some good information about simple machines.
December 4, 2023
Children dinosaurs are playing on a seesaw, and different ones keep coming up and saying they're bigger than the last one. The T-Rex starts being a pest when his mom comes up and all the moms make the little dinosaurs play nicely. This book was okay.
July 26, 2018
Would be a great board book
August 7, 2018
Love the artwork, especially the color shading and texture. The resolution to the conflict did not really help young readers grow or find ways to help make things better.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews