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That's What Dinosaurs Do

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This is William.

William is a dinosaur who loves to roar. Because, well, he’s a dinosaur.

But when William gets a sore throat, the doctor tells him, “No roaring for a week!”

No roaring at the mailman or the bus driver.

No roaring in line or at the park.

That means absolutely NO roaring at anyone or anything? This can’t be happening!

Will this overexcited dinosaur make it through the week without roaring at all?!

32 pages, Hardcover

Published May 21, 2019

235 people are currently reading
258 people want to read

About the author

Jory John

72 books669 followers
Jory John is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and two-time E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor recipient.

Jory's work includes the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book, The Good Egg, and the #2 New York Times bestselling picture book, The Bad Seed, both illustrated by Pete Oswald. He is also the author of the popular picture books, Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems, both illustrated by Lane Smith, the award-winning Goodnight Already! series, illustrated by Benji Davies, the New York Times bestselling Terrible Two series, the recent picture books Quit Calling Me a Monster! (with Bob Shea), Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? (with Liz Climo), and the international bestseller, All my friends are dead, among many other books for both children and adults.

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5 stars
292 (28%)
4 stars
232 (22%)
3 stars
315 (30%)
2 stars
129 (12%)
1 star
50 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
Profile Image for La Coccinelle.
2,259 reviews3,568 followers
October 6, 2019
From the team that brought us The Bad Seed and The Good Egg comes a story that seems like it should have a moral... but actually doesn't (unless the moral is to let down all your inhibitions and be an unmitigated jerk).

William the dinosaur has such a successful weekend roaring at people (and farm animals) that he gives himself a sore throat. The doctor tells him he can't roar for a whole week. It's tough, because William really has an urge to roar. But he manages to hold off. After a week, his throat is a little better, so the doctor says he can roar again. And he does, scaring those around him and torpedoing his own social life.

What irks me about this one is that, in the first part of the book, William proves that he can be a decent guy by not roaring. Everyone around him is much happier. But after that, he gives in to his urge to roar every single time, destroying what little goodwill others have started to give him. When someone asks him why, he just says, "That's what dinosaurs do."

Okay... Let's change that answer to, "That's what bullies do." Would the book still work? Of course not. But William is a bully. And he's hurting himself as well as everyone else around him. Why should that be excused with a flippant catchphrase?

The illustrations by Oswald are fun, and there's even a nod to The Bad Seed in one of the pictures. I like William's bedroom and seeing him hang his head out of the bus window like a dog. But even the cutest pictures in the world won't make a book with such a problematic message work. I kept waiting for William to finally learn his lesson and see the error of his ways. That epiphany never came. All we got were excuses.

Though it might have fun illustrations and an anthropomorphized dinosaur, That's What Dinosaurs Do isn't really appropriate for children... unless you want them learning that they can just give in to any little urge and then shrug it off with a careless catchphrase. (I can't see that going over very well!)
Profile Image for Panda Incognito.
4,711 reviews96 followers
June 12, 2019
This looks like a cute picture book about a dinosaur learning to stop roaring all the time, but it's actually an attractively packaged moral lesson in... I don't even know. There is no moral philosophy that encourages people to bother everyone AND harm themselves. This dinosaur harasses the whole community, injures his throat, and then, after a week of trying not to roar, returns to his natural instincts with unapologetic abandon. Since this dinosaur seriously injures his throat and alienates everyone, nothing about his roaring is personally profitable. This isn't a subversive moral philosophy; it's just chaos.

Nothing about this book indicates that it is intended to be satirical. Nor does it try to teach virtue through a bad example. Even though some children may walk away from this story with the newfound knowledge that blindly following your instincts is an absolutely terrible idea, this book does not offer any resolution or moral message to indicate that you shouldn't act like this dinosaur. I find it highly doubtful that the author intended to teach anything through this story, but if he did, he should have presented it in a manner that would invite a less literal reading.

I might be able to explain this book away if a novice had written it, but Jory John is a well-respected, bestselling picture book author who ought to know better. I cannot imagine why he would encourage toddlers and preschoolers to wantonly embrace their most destructive, antisocial tendencies. Even though picture books and conventional advice mantras are often full of half-baked and unwise ideas, I have never seen anyone actually tell a child, "Do whatever comes naturally to you, even if it harms you and is cruel to everyone else." Apparently, that's because most people aren't as brave and forward-thinking as Jory John.

I have no idea why he wrote this, or why a publishing company would have so little respect for their bottom line or their target market that they would pick up such a useless piece of garbage, but sometimes we have to live with enigmas like this. I guess it's time to move on and stop overthinking a thirty-two page book.
Profile Image for donna backshall.
828 reviews235 followers
February 6, 2020
The illustrations are wonderful, but I feel like the jerk in "Big" when he raised his hand and sarcastically announced, "I don't get it."

Well, I don't. The story is basically about a dinosaur who roars, which leaves him with a sore throat and a whole bunch of people angry with him because he's being a dick.

But "that's what dinosaurs do" is the message, which isn't an answer. It's an excuse, and not even a good one.

However I'm trying to imagine if I were two years old and simply bursting with energy and mischief. Would identifying with a roaring dinosaur feel good? You bet.

Will my mom lose her mind listening to me roaring and stomping around because a book told me it was okay? Sure, but there are certainly worse things I could be encouraged to do.

Three stars, because I wasn't the target audience, but I think I might kind of, sort of get where they were going with this. The toddler in me found it liberating.
Profile Image for Deb.
86 reviews2 followers
April 13, 2020
The message in this book is to "be who you are," but the main character in this book decides to continue roaring because "that's what he does," even though it's giving him a severe sore throat and scaring his friends. Huh? This book is a huge disappointment from an otherwise great writer.
Profile Image for Hilda.
1,324 reviews294 followers
November 24, 2019
William had a really great weekend. But now his throat hurt from way too much roaring. William went to the doctor.

This story follows William the roaring dinosaurs who roars way too much because...that's what dinosaurs do. The dilemma is that William gets sick from all his roaring.


But don't worry. When he gets better he goes right back to roaring because...that's what dinosaurs do.


I bought this book for my 3 year old dinosaur obsessed godson. I was sad at the ending. I found it disheartening. In my opinion it was just bleh. BUT he loved it and roared around the house for hours. He ran to get all his dinosaurs out and had a great big dinosaur party. The pictures are very good and I enjoyed it all until the very end where I have to agree with most reviews, it fell flat. But my godson, who the book was intended for, loved it very much.
Profile Image for Emma Cochran.
40 reviews2 followers
May 23, 2019
I really like the beginning, but then when we hit the end and William never learned his lesson, I felt like that was a bad lesson to learn. He wouldn't change his ways, even though he continued to upset others and be a harm to himself. So not really a great takeaway.
Profile Image for Mary.
1,672 reviews
July 18, 2019
I really enjoyed the story and illustrations. I did not, however, like the way it ended. The message that dinosaurs, and perhaps people, can do things that frighten and annoy others and use the excuse that "that's just what I do" is not a great message to send.
Profile Image for Andrea Northam.
194 reviews7 followers
March 20, 2021
The book surprised me with the direction it took. What could have been an opportunity to teach children about how their actions impact others really just turned into an unapologetic Cartman-like "I do what I want" motif. I think the author was trying to use this story as an allegory to teach kids to love and be themselves, but it falls flat since "roaring" is a violent and basic reaction (ie. "well, my child throws rocks at other kids, and it hurts and scares them, but they are just going to have to understand that that's just 'what he does'"...ugh). A plot correction idea: maybe if the dinosaur liked to sing and dance, and it annoyed his fellow dinosaurs who thought it was more "dinosaur-like" to roar, I could get behind the intended message of "be yourself." Sure, dino, you do you. If you want to wear tutus and dance and be different from other dinosaurs, I'm all for it. Those other dinosaurs are just naysayers; don't pay attention to them!
BUT
...when the dinosaur's behavior is base and scares others (and the illustrations of frightened people show that is the case), I think it is a missed opportunity to teach the dinosaur empathy and to learn how to still be himself while also not always doing the first impulsive thing that comes to him, like roaring and scaring the bejesus out of everyone he comes into contact with. "We Don't Eat Our Classmates" has a similar plot but with a much better execution and resolution. Sorry, Penelope, if you want friends, maybe you shouldn't eat them, my dear. Good lesson. In short, the activity of "roaring" was probably not the best choice to show kids it is okay to be oneself.
Profile Image for Lynn Plourde.
Author 69 books151 followers
July 22, 2019
This book practically begs kids to join in with plenty of ROARs. Silly story, silly illustrations. Ending falls flat since it's nothing new and the character hasn't changed, but I'm not sure kids will mind. ROOOOOARRRRRR!
Profile Image for Peacegal.
11.7k reviews102 followers
November 21, 2019
Great, retro-style illustrations. Not an especially good message--our dinosaur refuses to be sorry for roaring at everyone and scaring them because "that's what dinosaurs do." Would you like to hear a kid nonstop roaring in a movie theater, a doctor's office, or library because they're pretending to be a dinosaur and dinosaurs aren't sorry for roaring? Didn't think so.
Profile Image for Rachel.
631 reviews54 followers
December 17, 2022
Yes, I'm still on a dino hunt for my little reader. 🦕

This one is cute enough. I like the illustrations more than the actual story- the illustrator is actually who I recognized on this title and pushed me to buy it. The story is a little lack-luster. Not to mention doesn't have a good lesson? I mean not all books need a lesson, but in this one the Dinosaur hurts his throat and has to stop roaring and when he gets his roar back he just goes back to terrorizing the community. And, I get it "that's just what dinosaurs do", but there's actually a disgruntled mob of neighbors at his house at one point. It feels very much like that "Boys will be boys" saying and I'm very much more of that "teach them to better" mantra.

Like I said, it's cute enough in an inner active fun way that most kids like, but for me it's the subtle artwork instead that carries this book. The pictures aren't vibrant or really bright- think muted crayons. All the homie colors; like worn blue jeans vs sky blue or homemade cherry pie red vs. fire engine truck read. (I've either really lost you or you know exactly what I'm talking about).

Even the illustrations that aren't accompanied by text are good. And, that's always my favorite, when there's a really good non-verbal story telling happening as well. It's imaginative.

This book is worth a look, but I don't think it should be taken seriously. Please don't teach them to take this seriously.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Majka.
171 reviews9 followers
August 1, 2019
ROARRRRR! William the dinosaur has to hold his roars while he has a soar throat. He can't wait to roar again, because that's what dinosaurs do! I loved this whimsical story, and it has darling artwork to go along with it.
Profile Image for Danielle Robertson  Robertson.
Author 1 book14 followers
April 20, 2021
Not a fan of the plot to be honest. Is William really the good guy here? It seems like your options are Be True To Yourself or Play Nice With Friends. Why are these opposites? Why can't William be a dinosaur and also play with the little kids?
Profile Image for Nickie.
1,225 reviews3 followers
October 20, 2019
I was excited about finding a dinosaur picture book and remained excited up until the end. Our dinosaur does what all other dinosaurs do and goes around roaring at people. He gets a sore throat and the doctor puts him on restricted roaring. So he goes through his day Not roaring at people and they are smiling and waving and inviting him to play. His sore throat heals and he goes right back to roaring and all the people hate him again. Including me.
6 reviews
May 15, 2022
My daughter (3) and I love many Jory John books, but the message (or lack of one here) did not connect for her or I.
210 reviews
July 8, 2020
Jory John and Pete Oswald work together again in this book. William is a dinosaur who loves to roar, but gets a sore throat from roaring much too often. When his doctor prescribes silence, it is up to William to decide whether he will obey or not.

This story is absolutely wonderful--until the last page and a half, at which point it takes a steep nosedive from which it cannot recover. Readers will love William and empathize with him when he gets sick, and as he works to exercise self-discipline in not roaring. Unfortunately, instead of realizing that he can be kind and make friends, William goes back to his roaring ways--despite the townspeople's protests. While John may have thought it was fun to have a character that did not change his ways, it ultimately results in an unsatisfying and frustrating ending for the reader. It also conveys such a negative message to young readers.

Oswald's illustrations--which are scanned watercolor textures and digital paint--are excellently rendered. They add so much value to the text, and give the story fun and empathy, engaging the reader page by page. Unfortunately, the illustrations and the wonderful beginning of the story are not enough to save it from its conclusion.

Run William out of town and skip this dinosaur book.
680 reviews17 followers
July 27, 2019
It's true, this book doesn't have a kind of "lesson" to be learned as the dinosaur at the center of the story learns nothing after hurting his throat by roaring too much and then going on to roar some more with the title as his excuse.

But, this book doesn't have to be a lesson. It's just silly fun and if you have a child who likes dinosaurs, this just adds to their fascination. Does it have to have a lesson? That would be nice. But not everything for children has to be so dramatically methodized with a moral lesson. In fact, this could be a book for open-ended Q&A: Do you think the dinosaur was right to keep roaring? Why? Why not?

Otherwise, there's a lot of good illustrations paced throughout each page with just enough wording to keep interest without overwhelming the reader.

This one is about 50/50 and the decision should be up to the parent of its worth. For public readings, works well with dinosaur themes or audience participation with the roaring.
Profile Image for H.
1,015 reviews
March 31, 2022
Usually children's picture books with dinosaurs in them are cute or the dinosaur is integrated with the society in which they inhabit. The titled dinosaur in this tome is not. Sure he is cute in the illustrations but he ROARS at people because That's What Dinosaurs Do.

After his doctor tells him not to, he still persists in this behaviour. The physician tells him to go back to normal, he goes back to being a boorish dinosaur and ROARing at people. He does not quit because, even after people picket his house, That's What Dinosaurs Do.

Oh, I had such problems with the message that this sent. It's okay to keep a behaviour because it is in their nature? Even after people communicate that they don't like it? It is acceptable to continue? No, just no. NO.
Profile Image for Melanie Hetrick.
4,643 reviews51 followers
June 22, 2020
A humorous, if somewhat misguided, story of a dinosaur who roars because that's what dinosaurs do. He loses his voice after a week of roaring and the doctor tells him no more. So he closes his mouth for the weekend even though it was quite difficult. Once the doctor clears him for more roaring the dino is back to his old self. In the end the townspeople protest outside of the dinos home for him to stop roaring but the dino is unapologetically a dinosaur.

This story is hilarious, as all Jory John books are. However it falls flat on execution as it feels like there should be some recompense for the dinos behavior, especially with people being clear what the problem is, but there isn't.
Profile Image for Katie.
2,093 reviews9 followers
August 17, 2020
Props for a surprise ending...but it basically stinks - the ending that is. I loved the Bad Seed, and wanted to check out Jory John's other books and I can't believe he also wrote this. The Bad Seed has a great message - and this book has an awful message. The dinosaur never learns any moral lesson and ends up hurting others and himself. I do not get the point of this book. (And if read to a child over and over, I could see that child internalizing it and just replying, "That's just what I do, Mom.")
Profile Image for Karen Johnson.
515 reviews6 followers
March 21, 2020
I wrote two other reviews of Jory John books today, and they were FABULOUS (the books, not the reviews). But this one is a mystery to me. Not his usual humor, and the message that comes across to me, at least, is that if you're annoying it's okay because that's just the way you are.
Nope. Growing up is a process of learning to tame the annoying parts of ourselves. And we all have annoying parts.

Get some of his other books instead. He's fabulous and funny most of the time.
Profile Image for Allyson Goose.
239 reviews
May 24, 2020
Cute illustrations. My kids like dinosaurs and I like other books by Jory John. However, this one was a disappointment. It has the moral that even if you hurt yourself and others, you should keep on doing it because that's just how you naturally are. I think it's meant to be about loving your quirky self, but instead it seems like it's teaching my kids that it's OK to be jerks if it makes them happy.
Profile Image for Pug.
1,367 reviews3 followers
October 31, 2020
Adorable and funny!
A dinosaur who must roar (naturally).
And roar right in everyone's face! (hilarious jerk move)
He can, does, and will - LoL!

Finally, a picture book without any of that pesky preachy/moral-of-the-story/learning-experience nonsense that children's books are obsessed with.

And for all the downers, you have a *spoiler alert* right in the title. Dinosaurs must roar: he's not going to change!
599 reviews
July 15, 2020
Not a great message. Just because roaring is "what dinosaurs do" doesn't mean that he should scare everyone around him. They don't appreciate it, and when they complain, his response is just that that's what dinosaurs do. No apology. No compromise. No consequences. Everyone in the world has to just deal with him because that's the way he is.
Profile Image for Brittingbloom.
452 reviews
August 20, 2020
Horrible children’s book with no consequences. Dinosaur likes to roar: hurts his throat and scares everyone in the town. However, he continues to do so. The end. The illustrations were lovely though. Going in the goodbye pile.
Profile Image for Andrea.
819 reviews25 followers
December 5, 2021
Loved the illustrations but won’t be reading this again to my son. He’s 5 months old so didn’t understand the message but it’s not one I would want him to comprehend. It’s ok that the dinosaur scares people and makes himself sick bc that’s what dinosaurs do? No.
Profile Image for Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams.
2,618 reviews12 followers
January 4, 2020
This book would be a great book to read when discussing the fact that everyone can change and that one way fun in never appropriate. Dinosaur decides that it doesn't matter how many people he scares or makes uncomfortable, that he can do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. It's a great book to discuss that when people act this way that no one wants to be around them.

** Talking points: Who do you think are the people in your circles who are the most courteous and kind and thoughtful? Do you like to hang around them? Who do you think are the people in your circles who are the most rude and unkind and thoughtless? Do you like to hang around them? Which kind of person do you tend more to be? If it were up to you, what would you do to solve the problem of Dinosaur roaring? Are there better ways to deal with your thoughtless or rude friends?

** Essential Oil Pairing Tip: I'd pair doTERRA's Motivate Essential Oil Blend with this book. Because until someone is motivated, they are never going to change.
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