Hello, friends! Today’s review is Dogosaurus Rex, written by Anna Staniszewski and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, a charming and sweet story of the special friendship between a boy and his… er… “dog.”

Today’s the day that Ben gets a dog of his very own! His mom brings him to the shelter, and while there are many wonderful dogs that need homes, none of them feel like the right fit. That is until Ben sees the biggest cage of all – and Sadie. Sadie is much bigger than the other dogs, with scalier skin and much pointier teeth, but Ben knows that she’s the dog for him. He adopts her and brings her home, but having such a large “dog” proves to be difficult at first. Sadie eats everything in the house, she can drink up a whole pond in one sitting, her tricks tend to smash cars, and when she does her business, well… there’s a lot of it. Ben’s mom is concerned that they may not be able to keep Sadie, and everyone in town is beginning to turn against her. Ben will have to find a way to prove to everyone else what he already knows: that Sadie is the best dog in the world.

This was adorable. I loved so many things about it: that Sadie was a girl dinosaur, that she was consistently and hilariously referred to as a dog, the wonderfully fun resolution, and especially that Ben never lost faith in his pet. It shows children that pets are a commitment, and that it’s the responsibility of their owners to make sure they are trained and well-behaved. The illustrations are wonderful, filled with sweetness, excitement, and a dogosaurus so lovable it made us want one of our own. JJ adored this as well, especially when Sadie would roar instead of barking. This one is a delight for dino-lovers, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!