Tag: bob shea

Who Wet My Pants? (Bob Shea)

Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is Who Wet My Pants?, written by Bob Shea and illustrated by Zachariah OHora, a silly yet sweet tale of compassion.

Returning with Troop 73’s donut order for breakfast, Rueben the bear (the scout leader) is shocked to find that – gasp! – SOMEONE HAS WET HIS PANTS. Not THEIR pants, mind you; someone else has wet RUEBEN’S pants. Shocked by this act of vandalism, Rueben withholds the donuts as he interrogates his embarrassed friends, all of whom kindly attempt to tell Rueben that wetting one’s pants is nothing to be ashamed of. Unwilling to take the blame, Rueben continues his investigation, retracing his steps and even entertaining the possibility that the pants themselves are defective. Will Rueben find the dastardly culprit? Or was the answer closer to home all along…?

Adorable and sweet. From the outset, it’s obvious that Rueben’s wild accusations and denial are the result of his avoiding blame and a publicly embarrassing situation, something that both kids and adults can sympathize with. And while Rueben’s hilarious antics handle the comedic aspects of the book, it’s his friends’ quiet acceptance, understanding, and compassion that provides an unexpected serving of pathos. By reminding Rueben that he has nothing to be ashamed of and offering to help him get cleaned up, even in the face of his accusations and lashing out, this comedy also becomes a nice lesson in empathy. OHora’s signature art style of thick lines, bold block colors, and expressive characters is perfect for the tone, and the illustrations are filled with fun details and nods to adult readers. The length is perfect, and JJ and I were both giggling until the last page. A lovely tale of kindness wrapped in a silly outer shell, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

Dinosaur Vs. Santa (Bob Shea)

Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Sorry for the delay, we had some connectivity issues last night. So today we’re back with two reviews! Up first: Dinosaur Vs. Santa, a ludicrously fun Christmas installment to the Dinosaur Vs. series by Bob Shea.

The most terrifying dinosaur on the block is back, and this time he’s facing his most challenging opponent yet: CHRISTMAS! Dinosaur vs. decorating? With a perfectly bedecked tree – at least, on the branches he can reach – Dinosaur WINS! Dinosaur vs. letter to Santa? One lovingly and enthusiastically scrawled letter later, Dinosaur WINS! But when trying to surmount the near-impossible task of falling asleep on Christmas Eve, Dinosaur is faced with a terrible temptation to do something that no little dinosaur should ever do: peek downstairs! Will this be the final downfall of the mighty Dinosaur?

Once again, Bob Shea has given us 40 pages of pure joy and exuberance with the cutest and most delightful dinosaur in print. Using the series’ trademark mixed-media meets pop-art style, each page is filled with color and excitement, and the text is filled with the raucous roars that make reading these books aloud such a delight. It’s packed with visual gags that both adults and children can enjoy, and the length is great for all ages. JJ screams with laughter through every Dinosaur Vs. book, and this one was no different, which makes reading these together a riot. Overall, this is a fun and festive way to get kids excited for Christmas, and we highly recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!

Dinosaur Vs. The Potty (Bob Shea)

Leave a comment


Hello, friends! Our book today is Dinosaur Vs. The Potty by Bob Shea, the second book in the riotously fun Dinosaur Vs. series.

As the title suggests, this time the fiercest little dino in the world has a new opponent, and he’s not going to take it sitting down. In fact, Dinosaur doesn’t even need to use the potty at all! Nope, he’s got far more important things to do, like make lemonade! Or splash in puddles! Or water his imaginary whale! But even Dinosaur knows that eventually everyone must go toe to toe with potty time – let’s just hope he can make it before he has an accident…

As with the previous Dinosaur Vs. books we’ve read, this one is a blast to read aloud. With more than half the dialogue consisting of various emphases on the word “Roar!”, it’s a delightfully silly story that seems tailor-made to make toddlers smile and roar along. The art is always a hoot in these as well, with the devilishly cute dinosaur and his different “opponents” set against some colorful pop-art backgrounds. The length is perfect for a quick read, and JJ adored it. And while there’s not much actual information on how to use a potty, this could be a great book to introduce the idea of potty training in a fun way. Overall, it was a lot of fun, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime (Bob Shea)

Leave a comment


Hello, everyone! Today, we read Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea, the first in the Dinosaur Vs. series. It’s a funny little book about an bold little dino and his unique way of tackling challenges.

Meet Dinosaur: he is fierce, strong, and wields a mighty ROAR! No challenge can intimidate Dinosaur. A pile of leaves? Demolished! A bowl of spaghetti? Devoured! Grown-ups talking? Dispersed! Dinosaur takes on every obstacle with his terrible roar, powering through each one. But can Dinosaur face up to his greatest challenger yet: Bedtime?

Fans of Shea’s Dinosaur series will know exactly what to expect here: silly fun, eye-catching pop-art illustrations, and plenty of opportunities for little readers to ROAR along with Dinosaur (JJ loves these books for just this reason). Dinosaur’s method of tackling the most mundane tasks with gusto is also a great example for kids, showing that any task is doable (and can even be fun!) if it’s approached with the proper mindset. And of course, at the end of the day, even powerful dinosaurs have to go to sleep. The length is perfect, and this is just tons of fun. Baby Bookworm approved!

Dinosaur Vs. The Library (Bob Shea)

Leave a comment


Hey, everyone! Since this week is National Library Week, and we wanted to celebrate, we chose a fun book to fit the theme: Dinosaur Vs. The Library by Bob Shea, the story of a fearsome little dino with a mighty roar… who may have just met his match.

Dinosaur is on his way to the library for storytime and, as always, he is prepared to take on any challenges along the way. First up: a cow. The cow moos. Dinosaur ROARS! The cow ROARS too! Dinosaur wins! And so it goes, with the little dino bringing cheer to all his friends with his infectiously fun roar. Now, for his greatest competitor of all: the library! Only indoor voices are allowed here. If little Dinosaur can keep his roar under wraps for one whole story, he may just find that following the library rules means everybody wins!

Part of Shea’s adorable Dinosaur Vs. series, this is a playful and colorful jaunt that’s a delight for little and big readers to share. Simple yet vibrant illustrations and visually interesting text layouts make each page burst with color and charm. The text is awesome to read aloud, and half the joy is getting to roar along with Dinosaur, something JJ and I were able to do together page after page, making her giggle with glee. There’s also a good lesson to be had about indoor vs. outdoor voices and library rules. The length is perfect for baby bookworms, and it’s quite simply a ton of fun. Perfect for little dinos of every age, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!