Dinosaur vs. Mommy

Shea’s strong-willed red dinosaur is back, and he’s making his Mommy’s life utterly chaotic. Dinosaur does a cannonball dive onto Mommy while she’s sleeping in, throws toys into the toilet while she showers (“roar! trains! Roar! bunny! roar! flush!”), and reigns victorious over being forced into and out of the bath, as well as getting into pajamas. Luckily, when Mommy is too exhausted to fight back, Dinosaur relents, embracing her in a hug: “Mommy wins!” As always Dinosaur’s facial expressions can shift from devious to timid on a dime (in between moments of attack, he clutches his stuffed bunny and gazes worriedly at grocery items). Shea’s buoyant, emotive artwork and sharp comic timing make Dinosaur’s fifth story feel as fresh and funny as his first one. Ages 3–5. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.)