Tyrannosaurus Dad by Liz Rosenberg-OPTIONAL

Rosenberg, Liz. Myers, Matthew. Tyrannosaurus Dad, 32 pgs.  Roaring Brook Press, 2011.  $16.99.  Inside cover:  “What’s forth feet long, fifteen feet high, and wears a necktie?  Tobias’s dad!  He is, after all, a Tyrannosaurus.  Despite his huge size and teeth that are sharp as knives, he’s a lot like other dads- he likes corny jokes and magic tricks, and he works very, VERY hard at the office.  He works so hard, in fact, he can’t make it to Tobias’s big Field Day baseball game.  To make matters worse, the tough Chickenbone Gang shows up and tries to take over the game.  Will Tyrannosaurus Dad show up and save the day?”  This is a good book about father’s and sons, but not as engaging as we had hoped.  The story line is good for families, but might not too applicable to classrooms. We simply weren’t “awed” by the story or illustrations.  We did like the ending when the Tyrannosaurus Dad finally realizes what it most important in life.  EL (K-3).  OPTIONAL.  Reviewer:  SL.