The Three Triceratops Tuff by Stephen Shaskan (review)

In this amusing retelling of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," the goats are replaced by a triceratops trio, and the nasty troll here is a Tyrannosaurus rex. Shaskan follows the original tale fairly closely: the triceratops are headed for some lovely plants but have to cross the T. rex's valley to get them; the triceratops "clip clomp" through the valley, attracting the T. rex's unwanted attention; the younger two triceratops promise their bigger and better brothers to the T. rex, who lets them go; and the biggest brother smacks the T. rex to kingdom come to get him out of the way. Humorous turns of phrase ("Once upon a time, sixty-eight million years ago . . .") make this an entertaining readaloud selection, and teachers and libraries will appreciate the usefulness of the folktale connection and dinosaur theme. Shaskan's digital illustrations suggest block prints; the opaque patches of color are faintly splotchy, and the figures are outlined with thick, carved-looking black lines. Sky blues, greens, golds, and yellows predominate the palette, while the smallest triceratops provides a pop of pale pinkish mauve. The nasty, sharp-toothed T. rex is a clear-cut baddie, and viewers will be pleased to see him sailing off towards what appears to be a volcano after being swatted by oldest bro. Share this at a dino-themed storytime, pair it with Willems' Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs (BCCB 10/12) for a dinosaur/folktale duo, or use in a lesson comparing it to "The Three Billy Goats Gruff "; intrepid adults could help kids stage a readers' theater or puppet version afterwards.