Miserable: A Story About a Dinosaur

by Jim Moran, Ric Howard (Illustrator)

"Once upon a time, it was the fourth of July twenty-five million years ago. It was a nice day that day..."

And so begins the story of Miserable, the little dinosaur who picked that day, early in the morning, to hatch from his egg, a feat more difficult than either he or his parents had expected.

First, there is the problem of Terrible Terry and his sister, Crazy Old Bobble, who are not only wicked dinosaurs but who are also tired of drinking their usual ten gallons of swamp water for breakfast and are delighted to see an egg peeping out from the edge of the swamp. Only through Poppa's help is the egg saved. Miserable's next problem is in finding a way out of his shell; he tries to bite his way out and fight his way out and, after great effort, manages to make his formal appearance. Soon he wishes that he were back; the grass hurts his tender skin and the breeze makes him shiver.

To entertain her only child, now officially named Miserable, Momma recites "Humpty Dumpty," her favorite nursery rhyme.

47 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960