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Dino Poet: A Graphic Novel
From New York Times bestselling author Tom Angleberger, creator of the Origami Yoda series, comes a hilarious young graphic-novel adventure through the land of the dinosaurs
Get writing or get eaten! Dino Poet is on a to write the first great poem—ever! His lunch, a prehistoric frog, is also on a to not get eaten! So when Frog tells Dino Poet that his poems stink, he decides lunch can wait . . . for now. The two set off into the wide, wild world, chasing life! Chasing poetry! Until a T-Rex starts chasing them.
From the incomparable mind of New York Times bestselling author Tom Angleberger, Dino Poet kicks off a hilarious graphic-novel series that is a rollicking romp through the land of the dinosaurs and a celebration of the poets that live in all of us.
Get writing or get eaten! Dino Poet is on a to write the first great poem—ever! His lunch, a prehistoric frog, is also on a to not get eaten! So when Frog tells Dino Poet that his poems stink, he decides lunch can wait . . . for now. The two set off into the wide, wild world, chasing life! Chasing poetry! Until a T-Rex starts chasing them.
From the incomparable mind of New York Times bestselling author Tom Angleberger, Dino Poet kicks off a hilarious graphic-novel series that is a rollicking romp through the land of the dinosaurs and a celebration of the poets that live in all of us.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2025
About the author
Tom Angleberger
84 books794 followersTom Angleberger artist-turned-writer. He is a columnist for the Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Virginia, and began work on his first book while in middle school. Tom is married to author-illustrator Cece Bell. He lives in Christianburg, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 17, 2025
My Newbery argument for this book on Heavy Medal. I got a reply from Tom Angleberger!
https://heavymedal.slj.com/2025/10/17...
https://heavymedal.slj.com/2025/10/17...
August 4, 2025
Review being submitted to School Library Journal for an upcoming SMS article.
May 12, 2025
A fun-filled graphic novel teaching readers how to write poems.
A must-have for all libraries!
A must-have for all libraries!
June 15, 2025
Love the dinos, the humor, and the poetry! 💚
Read
December 21, 2025Use for SRP 26.
October 14, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Dinosaur is writing a poem about eating Frog, who takes exception not only to the subject of the poem, but also the flowery and unrealistic language being used. In between being attacked by other dinosaurs (each chapter starts with the name of one), Frog teaches Dinosaur how to write a poem. Instead of forcing rhymes about the noises a pterodactyl making, for example (they don't "sweetly sing", they skronk!), Frog advises that Dinosaur should write about how he FELT about what he saw. Rhymes are nice, but phony poems aren't. When Dinosaur loses his pen, the two head off to find the pen tree (where did we think they would get another, Walmart?), and start to coauthor a number of poems in different formats, like limericks or speed haiku. They even try to write the grossest poem they can, which they label "poo-etry". Eventually, the Dinosaur decides to find another lunch, and writes poems with Frog.
Strengths: As the foreword notes, this isn't a book of poems, it is a book about writing poetry. Dinosaur and Frog get into all sorts of goofy situations, write some poems, and even tell us some information about dinosaurs. Angleberger's exuberant art (think The Two-Headed Chicken) is the real draw here, with fun and silly looks at dinosaurs.
Weaknesses: I'm struggling a bit with the audience for this one; it's a little young for readers of the Origami Yoda series (which really is more of a middle school book), but I'm not sure how many elementary school readers want to write poetry these days. Perhaps teachers who are introducing poetry units to both grade levels could use this as a starting point for student writing.
What I really think: This is somewhat akin to Pilkey's Cat Kid Comics books in that they have some life lessons delivered in a funny way. While this isn't a manual of poetic style in the way that something like Steele's All the Fun's in How You Say a Thing or Tipane's Writing Poetry for Dummies is, it's an amusing introduction to writing poetry for young readers.
Writing Poetry for Dummies is actually a really helpful book, and if you write poetry and haven't read Steele's book, you should pick it up and geek out on rhyme schemes and scansion.
Dinosaur is writing a poem about eating Frog, who takes exception not only to the subject of the poem, but also the flowery and unrealistic language being used. In between being attacked by other dinosaurs (each chapter starts with the name of one), Frog teaches Dinosaur how to write a poem. Instead of forcing rhymes about the noises a pterodactyl making, for example (they don't "sweetly sing", they skronk!), Frog advises that Dinosaur should write about how he FELT about what he saw. Rhymes are nice, but phony poems aren't. When Dinosaur loses his pen, the two head off to find the pen tree (where did we think they would get another, Walmart?), and start to coauthor a number of poems in different formats, like limericks or speed haiku. They even try to write the grossest poem they can, which they label "poo-etry". Eventually, the Dinosaur decides to find another lunch, and writes poems with Frog.
Strengths: As the foreword notes, this isn't a book of poems, it is a book about writing poetry. Dinosaur and Frog get into all sorts of goofy situations, write some poems, and even tell us some information about dinosaurs. Angleberger's exuberant art (think The Two-Headed Chicken) is the real draw here, with fun and silly looks at dinosaurs.
Weaknesses: I'm struggling a bit with the audience for this one; it's a little young for readers of the Origami Yoda series (which really is more of a middle school book), but I'm not sure how many elementary school readers want to write poetry these days. Perhaps teachers who are introducing poetry units to both grade levels could use this as a starting point for student writing.
What I really think: This is somewhat akin to Pilkey's Cat Kid Comics books in that they have some life lessons delivered in a funny way. While this isn't a manual of poetic style in the way that something like Steele's All the Fun's in How You Say a Thing or Tipane's Writing Poetry for Dummies is, it's an amusing introduction to writing poetry for young readers.
Writing Poetry for Dummies is actually a really helpful book, and if you write poetry and haven't read Steele's book, you should pick it up and geek out on rhyme schemes and scansion.
March 19, 2025
Sure to be a hit with multiple audiences, including dinosaur fanatics, graphic novel enthusiasts, poetry teachers, and anyone who just wants a good laugh. Travel back to the late Triassic period and meet a poetically inclined coelophysis who’s tempted to eat a frog until the two bond over their love of verse. The diminutive dinosaur has written a lot of rhyming couplets in his little red notebook, but Frog inspires him to think bigger: to travel and compose more audaciously, all while escaping the monstrous things that want to eat both of them. Through 5 separate chapters, we follow the pair via Angleberger’s simple, silly graphics, which resemble Sharpie sketches on crumpled, textured paper in a variety of colors: bright green for the frog, yellow for the bipedal carnivore, blue for long-necked apatosaurus, and so on. For more visual fun, he also decorates each chapter heading with a collage of art and writing tools that become progressively shorter and smudgier as the story progresses. The animals communicate through bold talk bubbles as Frog introduces various poetic forms, including epics, limericks, and haiku (its shortness makes this form perfect when being chased by larger predators). Just like many great teachers, Frog prods the coelophysis to take risks with his scribbling, describing what he hears and feels (not just what he sees) and celebrating life’s harsher or grosser aspects (including a poem about stinky poop). Even kids who have previously expressed zero interest in poetry may be newly engaged by this funny and visually appealing adventure. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
February 14, 2025
This books is not about dinosaur poems, but a dinosaur that writes poems. Are dinosaurs good poets? In the frogs opinion, no. Or is he just trying to not get eaten in the process? Follow this duo as they navigate writing the most epic poem!
Educator review:
Great for introducing a poetry unit!
1. Fun and engaging book for talking about onomatopoeia: skronk, growl, snap, bellow, grunt are just a few examples.
2. Shows how to begin writing poetry. Where to start? What topic? Does it need to rhyme?
3. Gives different POV: learn about how poems mean differently things to others. While one person/frog/dinosaur may find a poem scary, another reader may find it pretty!
4. Different poetry types: rhyming, epic, limericks, haiku
5. Poems focus on all the senses: feeling, touching, tasting, smelling, hearing
NOTE: goes into gross and silly poems (poo-etry)!
1st grader review: I love the gross humor. It’s silly and I like being silly. (Proceeds to write gross poetry).
3rd grader review: thought it was fun and engaging. Liked he tips about writing poems and wanted to learn about the different poetry type (limericks and haikus).
Thank you @Net Galley and ABRAMS Kids for the advanced digital copy.
Educator review:
Great for introducing a poetry unit!
1. Fun and engaging book for talking about onomatopoeia: skronk, growl, snap, bellow, grunt are just a few examples.
2. Shows how to begin writing poetry. Where to start? What topic? Does it need to rhyme?
3. Gives different POV: learn about how poems mean differently things to others. While one person/frog/dinosaur may find a poem scary, another reader may find it pretty!
4. Different poetry types: rhyming, epic, limericks, haiku
5. Poems focus on all the senses: feeling, touching, tasting, smelling, hearing
NOTE: goes into gross and silly poems (poo-etry)!
1st grader review: I love the gross humor. It’s silly and I like being silly. (Proceeds to write gross poetry).
3rd grader review: thought it was fun and engaging. Liked he tips about writing poems and wanted to learn about the different poetry type (limericks and haikus).
Thank you @Net Galley and ABRAMS Kids for the advanced digital copy.
November 7, 2025
Very funny story about a dinosaur and a frog in which their conversation recaps basic advice and information about writing poetry.
This would be perfect for any young readers who have had to study and write poetry for a classroom assignment. It refers to forms and ideas that will be taken as "inside jokes" to students who were paying attention in class, and for those who didn't, the humor might be just enough to cause them to pay attention to the next poetry lesson.
It's silly and yet it totally respects the maturity of readers by not explaining everything, and instead trusting them to figure it out or look it up themselves.
The colorful illustrations with bold black outlines are comic-strip panel squares, shown as if they were collaged vignettes over paper-bag paper. Everything is a little crinkled and random art supplies have been left behind at each chapter heading. At first they are fresh and tidy, and by the end, the art supplies are worn down & used up, giving a sense of a real-life unfolding of time.
The characters are rendered as simple caricatures, their personalities are straightforward, and yet their actions are delightfully complex, witty, and logical.
I really enjoyed this!
This would be perfect for any young readers who have had to study and write poetry for a classroom assignment. It refers to forms and ideas that will be taken as "inside jokes" to students who were paying attention in class, and for those who didn't, the humor might be just enough to cause them to pay attention to the next poetry lesson.
It's silly and yet it totally respects the maturity of readers by not explaining everything, and instead trusting them to figure it out or look it up themselves.
The colorful illustrations with bold black outlines are comic-strip panel squares, shown as if they were collaged vignettes over paper-bag paper. Everything is a little crinkled and random art supplies have been left behind at each chapter heading. At first they are fresh and tidy, and by the end, the art supplies are worn down & used up, giving a sense of a real-life unfolding of time.
The characters are rendered as simple caricatures, their personalities are straightforward, and yet their actions are delightfully complex, witty, and logical.
I really enjoyed this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2024
Book 178 of 300 ~ 2024
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Had me in stitches.
Clever way of introducing poetry as well as dinosaurs to kids. Adults will enjoy this, too!
The art reminds me a little of the South Park cartoon in the early days as well as Monty Python cutaways.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book178of300 #amreading #netgalley #tbrpile #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2024 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Had me in stitches.
Clever way of introducing poetry as well as dinosaurs to kids. Adults will enjoy this, too!
The art reminds me a little of the South Park cartoon in the early days as well as Monty Python cutaways.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book178of300 #amreading #netgalley #tbrpile #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2024 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
April 23, 2025
A coelophysis is into writing a poem about eating a frog but the frog convinces the dinosaur it's a lazy poem and tells the dino to explore the world and find the words to better express itself. So the dinosaur takes the frog with him and the frog has the dino express his feelings in the poem, and the frog has the dino try an epic poem. The the wants the dino to try a limerick and a haiku. Along the way they have humorous adventures with other dinosaurs that want to eat them. A fun read that may encourage young writers to try their hand at poetry as well. Recommended for 2-4th graders who are fans of Dog Man and similar stories.
April 24, 2025
Only Tom Angleberger could make a poetry-loving dinosaur and a panicked frog feel like the most natural duo in the world. Dino Poet is clever, chaotic, and completely delightful, equal parts laugh-out-loud and secretly wise. I’ve followed Tom’s work for years, and this one might be my favorite yet. It's a reminder that even in a world of T-Rexes, words still matter.
In my own books, I write about magical battles and epic destinies, but deep down, I think we’re both chasing the same thing: stories that make people feel something. And maybe laugh a little too.
Would you be curious to hear about my writing journey? I’d love to trade stories, prehistoric or otherwise.
— Jupiter Phaeton
In my own books, I write about magical battles and epic destinies, but deep down, I think we’re both chasing the same thing: stories that make people feel something. And maybe laugh a little too.
Would you be curious to hear about my writing journey? I’d love to trade stories, prehistoric or otherwise.
— Jupiter Phaeton
April 10, 2025
Learn about different styles of poems while learning about dinosaurs and creatures from the dino era at the same time with this unique graphic approach? I'm sold.
It was a fun romp between dino and frog about how to write specific poems and make them worth reading. So of course there needs to be at least one about poo- melon rinds and all (were there even melon rinds back then?)
Like I said, the style is what takes it to the next level. It's big and bold and oh so funny. Let dinosaurs teach kids how to write poetry.
It was a fun romp between dino and frog about how to write specific poems and make them worth reading. So of course there needs to be at least one about poo- melon rinds and all (were there even melon rinds back then?)
Like I said, the style is what takes it to the next level. It's big and bold and oh so funny. Let dinosaurs teach kids how to write poetry.
April 24, 2025
Hmmm… A prehistoric frog thing tells a dinosaur how to become the poet of the title, all on coloured scraps of paper and with the easiest of drawing styles. There're some basic lessons in verse writing, but they're kind of hidden by a naff plot (attack from a large dinosaur is a surprise… attack from a larger dinosaur is a surprise…). To me, not something I'd choose to buy – two and a half stars.
June 12, 2025
Tom Angleberger is one of my all-time favorite writers, and this book is a great example of why. It's very silly, full of memorable characters, and fun from the first word. The artwork is done in Tom's trademark style which is simultaneously simple but incredibly expressive and memorable. Also, this book is a great way to get potentially reluctant readers into poetry, by making it fun and accessible.
April 29, 2026
Beginning, juvenile graphic novel. Creative story about a dinosaur who’s trying to write a poem and becomes friends a frog along the way. The friend is worried that the dinosaur will eat him and manages to encourage his dinosaur friend to try out different types of poetry to take his mind off of being hungry. He encourages his dino friend along the way and they form a real friendship. There is poop and poetry and rhyming and silliness all throughout.
March 18, 2025
“Don’t chase me… chase life!”
This graphic novel was hilarious! We follow a Dino poet and the frog who was meant to be his lunch. This frog is teaching Dino how to write poetry - all kinds of poetry! Beautiful poetry, epic poetry, even poo-etry!
This is the perfect graphic novel to have a good laugh and learn about poetry and dinosaurs!
This graphic novel was hilarious! We follow a Dino poet and the frog who was meant to be his lunch. This frog is teaching Dino how to write poetry - all kinds of poetry! Beautiful poetry, epic poetry, even poo-etry!
This is the perfect graphic novel to have a good laugh and learn about poetry and dinosaurs!
May 17, 2025
Great teaching tool for helping kids to write poems. I would use it as a class read-aloud, too!
Favorite quotes - Go see this wide, wild world, and then find the words that make me see it, too.
You don't need big words or fancy names, just tell me how you feel about what you saw.
Rhymes are nice, but phony poems aren't. A poem should show your real feelings.
Favorite quotes - Go see this wide, wild world, and then find the words that make me see it, too.
You don't need big words or fancy names, just tell me how you feel about what you saw.
Rhymes are nice, but phony poems aren't. A poem should show your real feelings.
July 1, 2025
What a fun little treasure this is! I loved how the crazy dinosaurs (and frog) had adventures but paused just long enough along the way to write different forms of poetry. Quick, brief, urgent pauses because there was always someone bigger and hungrier who wanted a snack. Loads of fun, but also full of engaging information about writing poems. Clever!
January 21, 2026
What fun! Where was this book when I was introducing a poetry unit? Hilarious intro to different types of poems, a pen tree, a TRex poetry fan, and even poo-etry! Great limerick examples also! Who doesn’t like a silly book with dinosaurs? Love the colors and line drawings. Wonder how he will turn this into a series?
April 9, 2025
I had high hopes for this. It was ok. I wonder if kids will get bored by it. There wasn't much action, and too much talk about poems, and writing a poem. There was still humor, and the style will apeal to kids. Just not sure they will stick with it till the end.
April 17, 2025
This is a great, non-preachy way to teach adventurous, dino-loving kids (read: boys) about the different forms of poetry, all wrapped up in the story of a frog trying to avoid being eaten by a dinosaur. Rawr!
May 1, 2025
Graphic Novel
Angleberger introduces readers to various types of poetry as his dinosaur and frog explore the "wide, wide world" together. Middle grade readers will appreciate the ridiculousness of their adventures and how they interact with other dinosaurs.
Angleberger introduces readers to various types of poetry as his dinosaur and frog explore the "wide, wide world" together. Middle grade readers will appreciate the ridiculousness of their adventures and how they interact with other dinosaurs.
May 5, 2025
This was absolutely hilarious. I laughed so hard at the gross poo-etry and the photograph of the real dinosaur toys on the top of the mountain. The poo-etry reminded me of something George and Harold from Captain Underpants would write.
July 5, 2025
This is the perfect book for me! It combines all the things I love the most: dinosaurs, poetry and graphic novels!!! A book couldn’t possibly be more me. Even the T-Rex loves poetry! I couldn’t recommend this one enough. Seriously, everyone needs this in their lives.
July 19, 2025
It doesn't get more brilliant than a talented author/illustrator using dinosaurs and frogs and prehistoric adventures to introduce children to poetry! This book was really fun and a great way to take what can sometimes be an intimidating literary form and make it approachable.
August 11, 2025
4 stars (I really liked it)
I like all the information that is given about poetry. It doesn't come off as a "let's teach you about poetry" but instead is much more natural. The reader learns about limericks, haikus, epics, and more. I think that the dinos will appeal to many young readers.
I like all the information that is given about poetry. It doesn't come off as a "let's teach you about poetry" but instead is much more natural. The reader learns about limericks, haikus, epics, and more. I think that the dinos will appeal to many young readers.
April 7, 2026
This book made me laugh out loud, and when I wasn’t laughing I was grinning. I now understand why my kids are begging me to put it on Dad’s kindle. The story is full of dinosaurs (and a frog) trying not to be eaten, AND lots of poetry writing tips. Making poetry fun(ny)!
December 27, 2024
ARC from Netgalley.
April 4, 2025
Four stars for Dino Poet. Through Angleberger's trademark silly humor, a cast of prehistoric creatures offer some legitimate introductory poem-writing advice. Fun! Elementary or middle-grade level.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews