Dinosaur Pie

Gr 1-3–Rory is an ordinary kid doing ordinary things until one day, he eats dinosaur pie and transforms into a dinosaur! Things were hard enough—living day-to-day with ADHD, having to learn about the Industrial Revolution, and hatching a new plan with his best friends Daria and Oleg to defend the Doom Boss in the game Big Bottle World. When Rory wakes to find he’s turned into a dinosaur, he doesn’t understand why his friends are fascinated. Rory is troubled: he only craves meat, he knocks things off shelves by shifting his tail, he must go to school naked, and worst of all, he no longer has the dexterity to play Big B. But he soon learns there are other kids who have transformed. Rory, his family, and his friends eventually figure out the best treatment while gaining a cat in the process. This hilarious, realistic novel strategically uses one kid’s metamorphosis to present an inclusive story about neurodivergence and individual differences. It balances kid-approved humor in today’s technological world with superb interior monologue that engages kids while honoring who they are. This work excels at presenting both kids and adults who show empathy and demonstrate compassion for others.