Running my Read Aloud Book Club for teachers last year has me on the lookout for picture books that pair up nicely with chapter books. Sometimes it’s no brainer. Sometimes you have to stretch your brain little. This pair is a no brainer.
Today we have a picture book and a graphic novel: Tea Rex by Molly Idle and Tommysaurus Rex by Doug TenNapel.
Tea Rex is how to book for people who would like to invite a T. rex to tea. Beginning with a formal invitation to tea, the text gives straightforward directions on how one might host a tea party. The illustrations point out the potential pitfalls if one’s guest were T.rex. The play between the words and pictures makes this fun read.
Tommysaurus Rex tells the story of a Ely’s adventures on his grandfather’s farm, where he encounters a T. rex who becomes his pet, Tommy, named for the dog he recently lost. Or, is it a reincarnation of his dog? Ely works with Tommy so he is not a nuisance to the town. Unfortunately, Randy, the town bully, threatens to ruin everything when he uses fire to frighten the T. Rex which causes him to set off on a destructive streak. The beautiful ending is all about forgiveness and redemption.
Both books offer the possibility of some fun writing assignments around T. rex, or any other dinosaur whose name can be manipulated.
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