Dinky the Tinysaur

When the young, pale-skinned protagonists of this digitally illustrated comedy by Edkins Willis (Little Ghost Makes a Friend) lobby their parents for “an itty-bitty, travel-sized, cute-as-a-button TINYSAUR,” the ask seems nigh impossible. But readers soon discover that the family lives in a community where pet dinosaurs are the norm, and an adopt-a-saurus event yields the perfect petite prehistoric pet—a green T-rex-like dino, whom they name Dinky and who is small enough to balance on a fingertip. Together, they form a tight trio, watching TV and playing dress-up (the dino looks fetching in a head bow and feather boa). But Dinky is also growing at an alarming rate, defying the kids’ vision of a “tinysaur forever” companion. When Dinky accidentally sits on the kids’ birthday cake, reality sets in hard. “I don’t think you’re ACTUALLY a Tinysaur after all,” one child pouts accusingly, and Dinky responds by stomping away with wounded feelings (and birthday cake on her bottom). The breach is repaired when the children realize their preconceived notions about who Dinky should be don’t match who she actually is, clearly messaging that what truly matters is loving someone for exactly who they are. One of the protagonists uses a wheelchair; background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.)