How to Grow a Dinosaur

by Jill Esbaum, Mike Boldt (Illustrator)

Big brother dinosaur can't wait to teach the new baby everything he knows in this funny, sweet, surprisingly practical "guide" for big siblings, from the celebrated artist of I Don't Want to be a Frog

Good news: Your mom's hatching a baby! Bad news: Babies take their sweet time. And when the baby finally hatches? He's too little to play! He mostly screeches, eats, burps, sleeps, and poops. He doesn't even know he's a dinosaur! That's where you come in. You can teach the baby just about everything--from peek-a-boo to roaring to table manners to bedtime. Growing a dinosaur is a big job, but you're perfect for it. Why? Because one thing your baby brother wants more than anything . . . is to be just like you.

With silly kid-humor and sincere, moving moments, this new-sibling book is a perfect combination of funny, reassuring, and truly useful. It captures the excitement and joy of getting to guide a little brother or sister through life, and uses big laughs, great surprises, and gentle lessons to empower kids in how to be a great sibling and role-model to littler ones. Great for family reading and reading aloud.

Genres: Picture Books, Dinosaurs, Storytime, Family, Childrens, Humor, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 23, 2018

About the author

Jill Esbaum is a full-time writer and author of I am Cow, Hear Me Moo!, I Hatched!, Stanza, and Tom’s Tweet, among many others. She lives on a farm with her husband and children in Dixon, IA.

Reviews

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best big sibling/new baby books I've read. The new baby is presented in a completely positive way (which is not usually the case). The big sibling is thrilled to have a new little baby and discusses all the things they can teach the baby and all the fun they'll have together. So many of these type of books focus on the older sibling being jealous (which can actually put concerns/worries they didn't already have in their head). This will be my go to recommendation when patrons ask about new baby books!

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to meet all those parent requests for new sibling books where the older sibling is excited about the new baby (good news) and not upset. However, it also deals with the problems (bad news), the time it takes them to "hatch,", they're too little to play, babies don't know what's dangerous...

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been sticking my dinosaur in the ground like a plant. This book helped set me straight!

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always looking for great books about siblings. Each sibling relationship is different but the books we choose to read to our young ones can set up expectations and provide models for their behaviors (or anticipated behaviors). I found the young dinosaur brother (Main character) in this book to ring true to many toddlers who are (shockingly) no longer the only child. Not only is understanding this new creature a strange concept for the "bigger" sibling, but sharing is often the most difficult lesson. Jill Esbaum has succeeded in capturing an accurate portrayal of subtle nuances of "raising" a baby brother/sister. The clever illustrations and repetitive structure "GOOD NEWS!/BAD NEWS!" are catchy and keep the reader turning pages! I'll be adding this one to a few gift baskets!

[Mason, Natalie & Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, let me just tell you that I did not really look at this book's synopsis when I grabbed it at the library. I looked at the cover, it seemed to have cute artwork and my son loves dinosaurs at the moment, so I borrowed it. Hilarity ensued as I proceeded to read it aloud in front of my boyfriend when I got home. You see, this is a book about how to be a good older sibling to a new baby, and we are not planning to have another baby. I had to keep stopping to interject reassurances that no, this was not the way to announce that I was expecting.

HOWEVER, this would be a great book for a child about to receive a little brother or sister. Or for one that has arrived but isn't quite sure what to think about it. It was certainly a cute book, with great artwork, and a nice message.
~Mom

[Ersa S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally picked up this book as a candidate for my upcoming dinosaur themed storytime thinking it would be a silly fantasy story about "growing" a dinosaur by performing oddball tasks until the egg finally hatches, but that was not the case. Instead, this is a lovely story about being an older sibling to a new baby dinosaur and how to help be a subjectively "good" bigger sister/ brother.

The author made excellent examples of how our behavior influences the development and growth of the younger sibling in easy to comprehend ways for the young reader.

I don't think that I will include this in my dinosaur storytime but make a storytime about family/ siblings that it would shine better in.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I wouldn't have believed it, but this dinosaur family saga contains some excellent insights into how to become a good big brother or sister. And even have fun along the way.

At first the baby isn't much fun at all. But eventually the older child realizes:

"You're the perfect one to teach that baby EVERYTHING."

Much humor ensues, between Jill Esbaum's contagious sense of ridiculousness and Mike Boldt's magnificent illustrations. These seem so solid, so real.

AS FOR THE ENDING

It's my very favorite ending I've seen yet for a picture book on the topic of adjusting to a new baby. Sure brought a smile to my heart.

AND OF COURSE

I'll give this book a FIVE STAR rating, since this title is utterly excellent.

[Maria Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hysterical romp through the trials and joys of "growing" a sibling. The perfect book to share with a young child who has (or is about to) become a big sister or brother. The illustrations are so expressive and bold, they definitely capture the joys and frustrations of a new sibling. With wonderfully succinct text, it delivers the good and bad news about babies and being an older sibling. Overall, this is a delightfully funny, tender book on being a big sibling. The "how to" aspect, Good News/Bad News exclamations, and dino roars make it a great read-aloud sure to encourage a kid's involvement.

[Shaina Cade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good news! This picture book is freaking adorable! Fab expressions (I’m reminded of the perfection that is forward facing ponies in My Little Pony (it’s just so funny, my dudes)) as well as Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (you know, that scene where the little girl sticks her hands in the horse’s nostrils and then leaves him confused and bemused with a “bye bye hawrsee”? No, okay, go watch Spirit right now, this review can wait for you to witness that other example of cuteness). You back? Okay, it’s also super cute because of the lovely relationship between the dino bros.

Bad news! This book ends. As do all cute things eventually. … On to the next!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You're the perfect one to teach that baby EVERYTHING."

There's definitely a learning curve to having a new baby dinosaur around the house. What can babies do? They're too young to play. How can you help the baby learn? Peek-a-boo is good. Roaring is good (as long as you do it softly.) How do you know what the baby wants? You have to do a lot of guessing. And don't forget, that baby is watching every move you make and copying what you do. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? But don't worry, you're perfect for the job, because "the one thing baby wants more than anything is to be just like you!"

I love the Good news, Bad news format and the adorable illustrations.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed by this book. The story was kind of boring and perhaps too hard to read independently for the age group I think it would most appeal to. It wasn't fun to read aloud, either, so I'm not sure where this book would fall in terms of ideal reading age or level. I picked it out because I thought the illustrations looked good, and I did like the pictures, but that's the only part of this book I enjoyed. I might recommend this to a family expecting a second baby whose first child really liked dinosaurs, but otherwise I'd probably skip this.

[Jj · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, yes, although it is nothing to shout about. Add this one to the "only child gets a little sibling" book list... especially when you have a dinosaur enthusiast involved. The way the two siblings are shown to get along is nice. It shows how little ones will mimic everything older siblings do, for better and for worse. The concept of growing and how slowly things go when a baby is involved is well-conveyed, I'll say that... there IS a lot of waiting involved.

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the review copy.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Age: Toddler-Preschool
Family: New baby
Dinosaur: Stegosaurus

Your mom's hatching a baby but there is GOOD NEWS and BAD NEWS illustrated throughout. Good news is that you can show them all your best stuff and teach them everything. Bad news is they're too little to play, they're loud, and they stink. Esbaum gracefully and humorously presents the downsides of a new baby while simultaneously showing the sweet way a little sibling looks up to their big brother or sister. Large illustrations and 1-2 sentences per page make this a great all-ages read-aloud.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your mom's hatching a baby but there is GOOD NEWS and BAD NEWS illustrated throughout. Good news is that you can show them all your best stuff and teach them everything. Bad news is they're too little to play, they're loud, and they stink. Esbaum gracefully and humorously presents the downsides of a new baby while simultaneously showing the sweet way a little sibling looks up to their big brother or sister.

Large illustrations and 1-2 sentences per page make this a great all-ages read-aloud.

Reviewed by: Miss Kelsey, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was all about little brother being excited about having a little sister. He waits for the egg to hatch, and then starts to be a helper. Babies screech, and eat BURP. Sleep and POOP!!!!! The book is not too wordy and the pictures are cute, I just did not enjoy it as much as I was expecting to. This could be done for a story or bed time. There is a teaching moment in the book of how to be a big helper to mommy or daddy. So that gets a thumbs up.

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice book to serve the specific purpose of helping an impending older sibling understand what that experience will be like. I'm not crazy about using animal characters to help kids to develop empathy, as some research has shown these lessons do not transfer over for kids if the characters are not humans, but that's a personal weirdness of mine.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young readers who are expecting a baby brother or sister will have a lot of fun with the lessons in this fun picture book. Written humorously as a guide, the book reminds soon-to-be older siblings that they are the perfect teachers for a new baby. With bright, funny digital illustrations, this book will be a fun one to have on the bookshelf.

[Ms. Shoshana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good news! A baby’s joining the household! Bad News! They don’t do anything on their own! Actually, that might be good news, because you, the big sibling, can teach them. You can teach them how to walk and play and help and be a generally good dinosaur. This vibrant picture book makes being a new big sibling sound like fun.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The text and the illustrations draw you into this dinosaur story. I love the color, the large illustrations and the storyline. And the Good News and Bad News for the older sibling trying to teach the new baby to do things. The brother wears himself out while Mommy and Daddy step in at the end. Dinosaurs are always a hit when reading to young children.

[Amanda Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for a big brother/sister to be about the wait for a younger brother or sister. Cute idea, but the 2nd person format is a bit jarring as it anticipates what the reader might say and then responds.

I would only give this to siblings age 4 and up who are waiting for a younger. Any younger and they are just not going to get the concepts.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice picture book for older siblings with babies/toddlers.

Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Violet Hartwig · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect picture book to read to your child who is becoming a sibling for the first time. A fun, cute book to share with them and show them what being an older brother or sister is going to be like. The illustrations are bright and depict some funny moments. I thought the end pages were really clever too.

[BlackhamBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really realize it from the title/cover ... but this is one of those "books for a child who is going to become a big brother/sister" type tale. Here, it's a dinosaur, not a human baby/sibling, but the same situations come into play, and this addresses almost all of them in a great way. Very cute illustrations. Not a ton of words, so it can be a very quick and easy read.

[Danyielle Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, my sister got it for my niece to prepare her for her new little sister coming and it was a great tool for her and i loved how it was relatable for kids in what could be a confusing concept.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This silly story about getting a new baby (dinosaur) in the house will keep toddlers engaged and roaring for more. A great title for teaching new big brothers or sisters about having a positive attitude!

[Andrea Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uses dinosaurs & a good news/bad news to explain about babies to an older sibling. For example: Bad news - babies copy everything you do that's a bad habit but good news: babies copy everything you do that's a good habit.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dinosaur kid is waiting for his sibling-egg to hatch. Then the Good News/Bad News begins. Good news: you get to show off all your stuff; bad news: babies are too little to play.

A good one for sharing with children about to be siblings. I didn't care for the poor grammar.

[MeganRuth - Alohamora Open a Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the kid who is going to be a big brother or sister... this is the book for him/her. Bonus if the kid likes dinosaurs.

The illustrations are great, and some great reminders and tips for when a new baby comes along.

[Janelle Fila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about sibling relationships (which was confusing to me, based on the title). If you have a little one that is expecting a new sibling or helping "grow" a younger sibling, this would be a nice book to read to them.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking forward to being a big brother to an new sibling.