Eggasaurus

by Jennifer Wagh, Hallie Bateman (Illustrator)

In this funny and winsome epistolary picture book, a young boy who orders a dinosaur egg ends up with more than he—or his dad—bargained for!

All Maximus wants is a pet dinosaur—is that really too much to ask? But when his dad tells him he must send the egg back to where it came from, a mysterious company called Eggasaurus, Inc, a hiccup in communication leads to Max getting more…and more…and MORE eggs! Can he and his dad find a compromise before the eggs hatch and the baby dinosaurs take over their home?

Genres: Picture Books, Dinosaurs, Humor, Childrens, Juvenile, Storytime, Animals

40 pages, Hardcover

Published April 26, 2022

Reviews

[Sarah W · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and funny.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this. This is my kinda picture book.

Great for family reading AND schools.

Humor on multiple levels.

A lovely father-son story with elements of known genres (what's in the egg, dinosaurs as pets, etc...), deadpan dialog that heightens the humor, and classic-feeling illustrations.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

[Lisa Riddiough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable and hilarious epistolary picture book will have you wondering what you would do with a houseful of dinosaur eggs. All Maximus knows is that his father wants him to return the one egg he ordered. But when his letter to Eggasaurus, Inc. is misinterpreted, Maximus and his dad end up with more eggs, and more eggs, until they don't know what to do. When they hatch, will they be herbivores? Or omnivores? Or carnivores? Yikes!! The solution is funny and sweet!! The light, bright, and cheerful illustrations are delightful!!

[Mark Ceilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eggasaurus
By Jenny Wagh

This is a humorous book about a boy named Maximus who received dinosaur eggs in the mail. The text goes back and forth with letters from him and Eggasaurus Inc, the company responsible for the eggs. As the story progresses, the company keeps sending more eggs to Maximus. His father faints with shock. A playful romp ensues with Maximus learning how to take care of more dinosaurs than he bargained for.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eggasaurus presents readers with a series of letters written between a young boy, Maximus, and a company named Eggasaurus Inc. Maximus ordered dinosaur eggs from this company and is delighted to receive them. He carefully follows the instructions he is given for taking care of the eggs. His father, however, is eager to send the eggs back. Unfortunately, the company does not take refunds, and instead keeps sending more eggs. The spread with dad laying flat out in a faint after they receive even more eggs is quite amusing. Eventually the eggs hatch and Maximus and his father must care for the variety of dinosaurs that emerge. The various misunderstandings that take place make this rather an amusing book, especially once Maximus and his father inadvertently end up opening a dinosaur daycare. While the illustrations aren't my favorite, that matters much less than the sheer humor and silliness of the tale. The children I've read it to enjoyed it immensely and to me that the most important thing.

[Lisa Yee Swope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eggasaurus targets the youngest readers of epistolary "novels" with this delightful picture book, because no child is too young to desperately want a pet dinosaur, no matter what the parents say. (My personal favorite has always been Steggy.) I'm reminded also of wonderful overwhelm of unexpected abundance in Truman's Aunt Farm and, for the middle grade reader, The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter. Our local mailman is also looking forward to this book and the prospect of delivering dinosaur eggs to our nearest and dearest.

[Thompson McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eggasaurus
by Jennifer Wagh
Illustrated by Hallie Bateman
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2022
40 pages
ISBN: 9781534450066

When Maximus gets a special delivery in the mail from Eggasaurus Inc., he's thrilled. Their letter thanks him for his purchase and contains the words, "No Refunds." Max's father is not thrilled. He makes Max write to Eggasaurus asking for a refund.

Eggasaurus writes back reminding there is no refund and sends Max two more eggs. The next flurry of letters back and forth send Dad over the edge. Eggasaurus sends a huge assortment of eggs and tells Max to play rock music to get them hatching. Soon Max receives certificates to pass out amongst his friends for free eggs. Max's eggs begin to hatch. Soon baby dinosaurs are everywhere and Max and Dad open a dinosaur day care. Max's friends all have dino pets, too!

This funny and whimsical story accompanied by colorful art will wow young readers and kids who love dinosaurs will love this book! This is the most creative dinosaur picture book I've seen in YEARS! A true winner and likely to win awards.

Highly, highly recommended ages 2 and up.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so excited for this book to launch! The author is a critique buddy of mine, and I have enjoyed witnessing her path to publication. I think her humor and heart shine through in this picture book, and it's a fitting debut. I love stories told in the format of writing letters. In Eggasaurus, a boy purchases some dino eggs. His dad is not pleased and wants his son to request a refund (even though it is clearly stated there are NO refunds). The boy and the company write letters back and forth. Instead of sending back eggs or getting a refund, the boy ends up with MORE eggs which he and his faithful dog take great care of. But what will happen when the eggs hatch?! So much fun. I could see pairing this with It Came in the Mail by Ben Clanton or Dear Dragon by Josh Funk and Rodolfo Montalvo for storytime (mail or dinosaur themed), class visits, or a writing workshop for kids.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eggasaurus is a silly book about a young boy named Maximus who wanted a pet dinosaur and ordered dino eggs from Eggasaurus Inc. Only to find out his dad was very disapproving, as Maximus continues to write to the corporation, updating them to the situation, they send more and more eggs. The dad is clearly in distress, but as they begin to hatch and play around, he eventually warms up to the dinos. Next thing you know they are happily running a dino day care. The chaotic energy of the book makes it humorous. The illustrations are lively and amusing, showing the gradual change of heart in the father’s emotion. The story is relatable to kids, because almost every kid has desperately wanted a pet that a parent may disapprove of. Though sometimes they have a change of heart after some convincing. This story is most suited for younger grades.

[Linda Cutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a deloghrdul and funny romp through miscommunication! A young boy orders dinosaur eggs, and when his father asks him to get a refund, the boy writes a letter, and the company sends more eggs! What I loved was the way the company’s letters back to the boy, Maximus, who wrote to them asking for a refund, totally ignore the boy’s requests and reinterpret them as “liking our product!” It’s so familiar to any adults who have dealt with aggressive sellers of their products, but also familiar to young boys who simply want to grow and nurture a hoard of their own dinosaurs. The illustrations are as humorous and wonderful as the text!

[Matt Forrest Esenwine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy's correspondence with a dinosaur egg company results in more and more eggs showing up at his house, much to his dad's chagrin. Using a cumulative-type narrative, the dad eventually comes to enjoy his son's new pets - and a new lifestyle! A fun story any pet lover (dino or otherwise) will enjoy.

[Julie Koon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eggasaurus is a hilarious book detailing the exchange of letters from a boy and a mail-order dinosaur egg business. As you can imagine, hilarity and chaos ensue. This book is charming, and full of imagination and excitement. Dino-loving kids will be asking how they can order their very own egg (or seven). A must read!

[Katie Otey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super cute book! I loved how the company's refusal to accept returns resulted in them sending even more of a product that clearly wasn't wanted. Then the dinosaur's hatched and, despite the dad's insistence that he wanted nothing to do with them, they wound up with a dino daycare. Loved the father-son relationship, the humor, the whimsy, the dinosaurs. Fun read!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book about a boy who orders dinosaur eggs from a company that not only doesn't accept refunds but keeps sending more eggs, much to the boy's father's dismay.

I read this book to a group of preschoolers. I don't really think they "got" all the humor, but they enjoyed it because they were intrigued by the idea of hatching dino eggs at home.

[Marianne Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based off of cover and title, I expected just another book with lame-o story line that was just based off dinosaurs. But no, we LOVED this book. Our favorite booke we've read for at least a year and we read a lot of books. Very clever. It's a good book that so happens to be about dinosaur not just another dino book.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fun story, written as a series of letters between a dinosaur egg company, Eggasaurus Inc., and a dino-loving child is full of word play and miscommunications that will have kids and adults laughing throughout! Highly recommend!

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy's correspondence with a dinosaur egg company results in more and more eggs showing up at his house, much to his dad's chagrin. Silly, charming and sure to appeal to every child who wished for a pet dinosaur.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hahaha! Such a funny book, told in letters, about a boy named Maximus who really wants a pet dinosaur, and who keeps getting dinosaur eggs (and thus more and more dinosaurs) from the Eggasaurus Inc. company.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy orders eggs from Eggasaurus Inc, much to his father's dismay. Each time the boy writes to the company they send more eggs because they will not refund. Funny story with amusing and satisfying ending. Fun illustrations.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect, perfect, perfect oh my gosh the cutest concept, the most hilarious build up and escalation, THE DAD FIGURE IN EVERY PAGE. Oh my gosh the character growth in the background?? Ugh. This book is so cute and sweet and hilarious and fun. Love it!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maximus orders and receives one dinosaur egg, with a NO REFUND policy letter included. Maximus's dad tells him to send the egg back, and that's when the miscommunication via snail mail begins. Soon Max, and his dad are flooded with dinosaur eggs in their home.

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really funny and you should buy it for the dinosaur lover in your life

[Amy Potts Ostrowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids and adults will want to read this one again and again!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now if I can just get a snack company to keep sending me supplies...

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is cute and has a very creative premise, but the ending is so abrupt that I wondered if pages had stuck together.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was fun and I think it'd be a great book to take into 1-3 grades.

[Amanda Marsico · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny. We read this on repeat

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this zany epistolary tale, a boy’s desire for a pet dinosaur hatches into a nest of problems and results in an unexpected opportunity. Whimsical illustrations add to the quirky humor.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very silly and fun!

[Jeretta Hall-Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so funny! The illustrations were clear and cute. But the story is what really pushed it to be great!