Rex: Dinosaur in Disguise
A comedy of errors starring the instantly-loveable Rex – the first book in a fantastically funny series for 7+ readers, from Lollies Prize winning author-illustrator Elys Dolan.
Rex is king of the dinosaurs: carnivores want to be him and herbivores want to be eaten by him... That is, until a pesky Ice Age comes along and he winds up frozen solid in a glacier. When he wakes up, 65 million years later, human beings rule the roost – and if they get their hands on Rex, he'll wind up in a zoo. (Or, worse: a MUSEUM.)
Lucky for him, Rex isn't the only undercover creature in town. He's whisked out of danger by the one and only Bigfoot, who has been surviving among the humans undetected for years. Bigfoot and his friends show Rex how to get by in the humans' world, and soon there's only one thing left for him to do: GET A JOB.
But that's easier said than done ... and with a meddling nine-year-old neighbour to deal with, and the constant risk of discovery, life couldn't be harder for a dinosaur in disguise.
Creators
Elys Dolan makes picture-books about everything from seagull detectives to capitalist bunny rabbits, weasels plotting world domination and marauding doughnuts. She was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Weasels and the Branford Boase for Knighthood for Beginners, and won the inaugural STEAM Children's Book Prize for How the Borks Became and the prestigious Lollies Prize for My Bunny's Chocolate Factory. She is also a lecturer on the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art.
Reviews
Elys Dolan’s wild imagination is back on fine form with Bigfoot providing training on how to pass as a human in the city and a ‘safe house’ for creatures on the run – Nessy or Dodo anyone? Readers are absolutely going to love watching Rex get to grips with dressing as a human and learning how to use a debit card! Elys’ illustrations always include lots of hidden details and jokes for readers to discover (young and old.) This title is absolutely packed with rib-tickling pictures which are brilliant for supporting newly confident readers follow the story and break up the text. I can’t recommend Elys’ writing enough – you don’t want to miss this one!
Library Girl and Book Boy
This is a great read for independent readers who have the stamina to read longer texts. It also makes a great class read and will be sure to start much conversation around the story events and characters. The cartoon style illustrations, which also include maps, plans and speech bubbles, keep the reader engaged and add extra humour to the story. All round, a great text for more able young readers.
Reading Zone
Elys Dolan’s Rex is entertaining and humorous, but also has valuable underlying messages about anti-discrimination and inclusion. Rex: Dinosaur in Disguise is a heavily illustrated novel that’s great for newly independent or reluctant readers, or those who would like to escape for a while.
Kids Book Review
This is a rip-roaring read for those who love accessible, funny stories that are accompanied by bags of humorous illustrations
A Word About Books
There are definite messages threaded within both narratives about belonging, social isolation and discrimination. In the end, Rex and his animal friends decide to stop hiding and come clean about who they really are and the parents and children who are forward thinking band together to protect each other and their new animal friends.
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