Review: The Last Surviving Dinosaur by Steven Joseph, Illustrated by Andy Case

The Last Surviving Dinosaur: The TyrantoCrankaTsuris is an imaginative picture book written by Steven Joseph, with vivid illustrations by Andy Case.

As a young boy, the father in the story grew up in his tight-knit Bronx neighborhood listening to his large group of relatives ranging from his Aunt Zaydie and Aunt Ruthie, his second cousin Dottie, and his Uncle Mottie and Uncle Shmukie out-do one another by “kvetching” about their “tsuris,” Yiddish for complaining about their problems. One had green fungus growing between her toes, another had a foot bitten by an alligator and was turning into a reptile, one had lice, another had deer ticks while yet another relative had an inoperable brain tumor that required having a metal plate put in his head.

When the young boy grew up and became a father, and his young daughter had her first temper tantrum, he did what any parent would do and gave her a time out. Unlike other parents, though, he promised to tell her the real story of how all the dinosaurs went extinct – except for one – the TyrantoCrankaTsuris, one cranky dinosaur…

Joseph has taken a popular concept in children’s fiction – animals with human-like qualities – and given it a unique spin. The subtitle of the book may be a mouthful, but that’s certainly a part of the book’s charm, as Joseph has cleverly integrated elements of Jewish culture by introducing children to two Yiddish words, “tsuris” and “kvetching.” The lessons here are multi-layered. Non-Jewish children will learn about a new culture, while those who have family who speak Yiddish will find the story fun and recognizable.

The book also introduces children to the concept of problems and recognizing the difference between “minor daily inconveniences” and the kind that are “major life-changing traumatic events” (although this is highly subjective, especially when considered through the eyes of a young child). More importantly, Joseph’s story teaches children that there are repercussions to temper tantrums.

Joseph’s narrative, set within a cloud on a blue background, draws the eye. It’s simple without being simplistic, and funny without compromising the integrity of the story. Case’s illustrations are lively, colorful and creative, and sure to have young children laughing and asking parents some pretty interesting questions! The illustrations of the dinosaurs are done well, showing each dinosaur’s individual character traits without making them appear too menacing such that they would frighten a small child.

What seems somewhat inconsistent with the story is the illustration of the daughter being sent for a time out after her first tantrum. The daughter appears a little old to be having a first temper tantrum, especially since the “terrible two’s” are when young children typically have their first temper-fueled meltdown. A younger-looking child, such as that shown in the second illustration, would have fit better with the story, an important point to keep in mind when illustrating picture books for children.

All in all, The Last Surviving Dinosaur: The TyrantoCrankaTsuris is a charming picture book that teaches both children and their parents about natural history, life lessons, neighborhoods, and family units, with a fun and instructive cultural twist.