Tyrannosaurus in the Veggie Patch: Saurus Street 1 (Nick Falk, illus by Tony Flowers, Random House)

Thursday, 11 October 2012 Unlocked content from the archive. Books+Publishing

At some point most of us poke around in the garden for signs that dinosaurs used to roam our backyards—the fantasy ends when all that’s unearthed is a broken bit of crockery. But what if one day you found a real live dinosaur in the vegetable patch? This happens to Jack when he wishes for a dinosaur of his very own. Tyrannosauruses being difficult to manage, Jack asks best friend Toby to help send it back. But a homemade time machine soon lands them in even bigger trouble—precisely dinosaur central, 60 million years in the past. This cute and exuberant series for children 6+ years is high on fun and over-the-top adventure. Its premise of dinosaurs popping up on the street where you live has instant appeal for the age group, while its quirky mix of science, natural history and magic will maintain young readers’ interest throughout. Nick Falk gives prehistoric fans a plethora of dinosaurs—and a dinosaur battle, too—cleverly working an enormous number of facts into the plot and jokes. For less confident readers, help is available with a lively design, informal text types and Tony Flowers’ delightful illustrations of the loveable frankfurt-eating time-travelling T-Rex.

Meredith Lewin is a Sydney-based freelance proofreader and reviewer who has worked for a children’s publisher

Category: Reviews