The Dinosaurs are Back and It's All Your Fault Edward!

by Wendy Hartmann, Niki Daly (Illustrator)

Edward's brother warns him that the baby dinosaur will eat like a garbage truck, and that he'll have to change its diapers. The surprise ending to the big-brother teasing makes a dramatic climax to a highly unusual and comical dinosaur story.

Genres: Picture Books, Dinosaurs, Childrens

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Wendy Hartmann has been writing for many years, with more than 40 children’s books published, including, most recently, The African Orchestra. Her work ranges from concept and counting, beginner readers, high interest/low vocabulary readers to picture books. Her books have been selected for honor’s lists and nominated for awards for writing and illustration. Wendy lives in Cape Town, is married and has two daughters. In her spare time, she paints and has taken part in numerous exhibitions and has works in private collections in South Africa as well as overseas.

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big brother tries to scare his little brother at bedtime. I can see this book actually occurring. It was a fun read, but I had to explain the sarcasm to my kids a few times throughout the book so that they understood why it was so silly.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a fan of the artwork in this one. It's very muddy and indistinct. The older brother scaring the younger one and then getting his comeuppance is pretty funny though.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and adorable...with a twinge of darkness. 🤪

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a clever story. The older brother, in typical fashion, tries to frighten his younger brother, Edward, with a story about a dinosaur hatching from the rock beneath his bed. Unfortunately for the older brother, Edward doesn't buy it and the older brother has to continually broaden the tapestry of lies until it becomes too much for him. The older brother ends up frightening himself with his own crazy story as Edward drifts off into a happy sleep just after turning the tables on his older brother with a clever insinuation that his older brother would be the target of a dinosaur rampage he’d created since he would be the only one that was awake when it all went down. It's a victory for Edward, and you can't help but feel a little satisfaction in seeing an evil ploy backfiring on the evil doer. Very nicely done.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hilarious and also relatable to children. I don't think it's that "scary" either. I think it's great for kids as young as preschool and I will be reading it to some children in a preschool camp. We are also going to extend the book reading with a 3D egg painting activity with styrofoam eggs. It's a book that helps kids understand the concept of a dinosaur egg and also lets their imagination run wild with what it would be like to really raise a dinosaur! I think it's great.

[Aspasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. Two brothers play the What If? game concerning a rock versus a dinosaur egg.

[Madelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun. Art is loose but charming. Just the right tone- slightly creepy, slightly scary, but still funny - for bedtime storytime.