New York Times best-selling author Judith Viorst is well-known for her popular children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Here Viorst crafts a magnificent tale about a young girl determined to get her way. It's Lulu's birthday, and she wants a pet for a present. Not just any pet will do, though-Lulu MUST have a brontosaurus. But when her parents tell her that's impossible, Lulu makes her way through the forest to prove them wrong.
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"very cute and fun! this would be an excellent read-aloud, as well as recommended reading for middle grades. written by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Lane Smith - hard to beat! "
— Dennis (4 out of 5 stars)
“The pinheaded brontosaurus is irresistible and reminiscent of Syd Hoff‘s beloved dinosaur from the Danny and the Dinosaur series. This inventive, lighthearted fantasy should be a solid hit with young readers.”
— School Library Journal“Lulu is demanding a brontosaurus for her birthday, and after a 13-day standoff, she marches into the woods and finds one for herself. There’s only one problem: the brontosaurus wants Lulu as his pet. It’s a setup ripe for she-deserves-it guffaws…The swift shifts in plot make the story feel less than surefooted, but that’s also part of its charm; Viorst sprinkles the tale with daffy authorial intrusions, from asides (“Okay, so snakes don’t talk. But in my story, they do”) to three different ending options. The way Lulu’s behavior models that of a new pet—shouting, whining, fleeing—is quite clever, and perceptive kids will enjoy being in on the joke.”
— Booklist“Viorst, better known within the children's-book world for picture books than novels, flexes her muscles and introduces readers to delightfully obnoxious, fit-throwing Lulu, a spoiled only child prone to indulging in over-the-top temper tantrums to get what she wants…Readers follow Lulu as she heads into the woods, faces off with some ferocious animals and finally finds the brontosaurus, who decides he’d rather have Lulu as his pet than be hers!…Dinosaurs, it turns out, are fond of good manners. The glib narrator provides not one but three endings for readers to choose from. Even so, they still won’t have had enough of Lulu. Pitch perfect for the beginning chapter-book crowd.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred reviews)" Absolutely a terrific read aloud! Kids loved it and want to check it out all the time! "
— Diane, 4/29/2011" this may be one of my favorite kid books that i've narrated. i love lulu. "
— Michele.medlin, 4/20/2011" Trying to force someone to be a pet can be difficult. "
— Debbie, 4/5/2011" Super cute story about a bratty little girl. The illustrations are incredible. "
— Jamus, 3/24/2011" Cute, like how the author is present in the story. Checked this out after hearing Delaney say that dinosaur books are not for girls.<br/><br/> "
— Angie, 3/16/2011" Fun story. Who's the pet? Who is a pet? "
— Mckinley, 3/14/2011" There should be more books like this one. "
— Octavia, 3/3/2011Judith Viorst was born and brought up in New Jersey, graduated from Rutgers University, moved to Greenwich Village, and has lived in Washington, DC, since 1960, when she married Milton Viorst, a political writer. They have three sons and seven grandchildren. A 1981 graduate of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, Viorst writes in many different areas: science books; children’s picture books—including the beloved Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; adult fiction and nonfiction; poetry for children and adults; and musicals.
Bob Shea is the author and illustrator of four Dinosaur Vs books, and many other picture books, including I'm a Shark. He also wrote Big Plans, illustrated by Lane Smith. Dinosaur was inspired by his son, Ryan. Bob is an eager and talented promoter of his books. He has his own graphic design company and lives in Connecticut.
Michele O. Medlin is an actress and voice-over artist who has lent her talents to many audiobooks, including Check, Please!, Funny Business, Lulu and the Brontosaurus, and The Chicken Squad.