Can I Have a Stegosaurus, Mom? Can I? Please!?
In plaintive tones usually reserved for requesting a pony or puppy, the narrator of this inventive tale begs for a prehistoric pet. As Grambling (A Hundred Million Reasons for Owning an Elephant) lists the benefits of beast ownership, Lewis's (Santabear's First Christmas) accomplished full-bleed spreads show the boy enjoying the company of the lumbering herbivore?sneaking it "yucky vegetables" at the table, pitting it against his friends in tug-of-war, going trick-or-treating under its looming shadow ("Who'd pick on a little Stegosaurus... when a BIG STEGOSAURUS was with him?"). For the most part, the fantasy dino is cuddly, with expressive eyes that convey dog-like friendliness. But several drawings are spooky?Lewis's pastel compositions, with their cloudy, monochrome backgrounds and detailed foregrounds, emphasize the creature's ground-shaking bulk. Later, after the pleading, comes the punch line: "Yesterday I found this GIGANTIC egg.... And it's beginning to crack open...." The only thing missing from this humorous romp is the would-be pet proprietor's promise to feed and walk the hatchling. Ages 3-6.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.