How a big and very boastful dinosaur is taught to be humble and to share is a nicely taught lesson with some humorous touches. Richard Byrne’s illustrations capture the playful nature of the dinosaur world perfectly
Finlay (a little dinosaur) is counting out jelly beans to share with his friend. He is sitting on a grassy mound. A big dinosaur comes along and demands the jelly beans. He is rather rude, a bit of a show-off, and he thinks that Finlay's friend is a figment of his imagination. What follows is a lot of posturing from the big dinosaur as he attempts to prove his worth with various antics on and around the grassy mound. As the book progresses it will gradually become clear to the reader that the 'grassy mound' is in fact, Finlay's friend, the really, really, really big dinosaur! The big dinosaur certainly doesn't realize until his bravado propels him into a dark cave that turns out to be the mouth of the really, really, really big dinosaur. It's only then that the big dinosaur learns that in order to make friends it's a good idea not to show off and it's a good idea to be prepared to share.
Witty and warm, Richard Byrne's This Book Belongs to Aye-Aye brilliantly champions the role of picture books in children's early life and education. The immediacy in the illustration gives a vibrant quality to this impressive, humorous and slightly post-modern tale. Children's Bookseller's Choice.
Author
About Richard Byrne
Richard Byrne in his own words:
"Born in a hospital. Brought up in Brighton. Learnt to colour-in in Eastbourne. Worked in graphic design. Worked in Brighton, London, Manchester and Yorkshire Hills. Worked for myself.
"Met Philippa somewhere along the way. Had two children. Had the mid-life crisis. Bought my first guitar. Got the urge to create a children's book. Got an agent. Got a book deal. Got another book deal."
Richard now lives in Chichester so that he can be closer to family, old friends, the coast, and the equator.
