Review: What’s Wrong With a Pet Dinosaur? by Tony Philips

A whimsical, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud collection of poetry and drawings, What’s Wrong With a Pet Dinosaur? by Tony Philips is a carefree but carefully crafted bundle of fun. Bouncing between surreal slices of fiction and narrative poems about more relatable experiences, the poet takes readers through a wild maze of imagination and the wonders of growing up.

The titular poem is a short and silly one, encapsulating the wry, tongue-in-cheek humor that many of these quippy poems lean into. “What Comes After Z” is longer, and written with more humor, along with some sage wisdom from the mouth of babes. “Watermelon Seeds” and other brief poems have the same impact as a limerick – quick and low-impact, but memorable and smile-inducing.

This variety of length, subject matter, mood, and adherence to the rules of poetry give the collection a kaleidoscopic feel; you could open to any page and likely leave with a smirk. The unexpected rhymes and clever turns of phrase may impress some adult readers more than children, but they make the book undeniably enjoyable.

Whether explaining how to build a treehouse without a critical ingredient or revealing the secrets of a spaghetti-loving pig, these poems are a healthy dose of ridiculous, but there are also lessons buried in these sing-song pieces. Considering the feelings of others, enjoying things in moderation, and overcoming fears to make friends are all important messages that seep out of these poems. Young readers may not catch all of the bits of wisdom hidden in these poems, but Philips’ subtle advice is healthy and helpful for parents and kids alike.

On a technical level, most of the poetry is rhythmically consistent, and stays within a particular meter, but there are some poems that feel a bit rushed. At times, the poet relies on slant rhymes a bit too much, or fails to consider how a simple reordering of words would keep the poem flowing naturally, rather than falling out of rhythm. Certain poems could benefit from small tweaks that could have a big impact, even if it means choosing less obvious language to keep the melody of the poetry aligned.

The visual aspect of the book is just as free-flowing and boundlessly fun as the poetry itself, with simple line drawings and cartoonish charm. As with the language, some of the images seem a bit thrown together, but this innocent imperfection feels oddly appropriate. The writer’s ability to convey humor through his illustrations is impressive, perfectly matching the humor of the sillier pieces, such as the young boy trying to hold in a toot in the middle of church – just waiting for his opportunity to let loose.

On the whole, this is the kind of poetry book that will remain entertaining for years, and yet it is surprisingly wise in its underlying messages. Though some of the poems could use a bit more polish to smooth out jarring edges, this endlessly playful collection of art and words will be a beautiful and poetic addition to any young child’s bookshelf.