Rodasauri the Dinosaur's Trip to London by Lainey Dee - REVIEW
A book review by Victoria Walsh
Rodasauri the Dinosaur's Trip to London by Lainey Dee, with charming illustrations by Chrissie Yeomans, is an ideal Christmas adventure for any dinosaur-loving child. Little readers can follow along with Rodasauri, the young Diplodocus, who wants to go on a road trip to see London for the first time. So, one Christmas Eve, he packs his things, ready to travel to the big city and experience it all for himself.
This book is the perfect little stocking filler for younger children this Christmas, wrapping up two of my favourite things: Christmas and dinosaurs. It would certainly have been a gift I'd have loved to receive. The book was written with a lot of love and enthusiasm by Dee, whose work as a nanny has clearly helped her in her writing for children. The book has a lovely cozy tone with a lot of Christmas magic and importance placed on the things that matter over the holiday season. From spreading kindness and joy to celebrating family and friendship, Rodasauri learns more than just the layout of the UK’s capital city.
The story overall is simple. Rodasauri makes his way to London with nothing but a backpack, a map, and a cheery disposition (though without his mum’s permission). He manages to hitch a ride with Father Christmas and see all of London and some Christmas cheer as he gets to see the legend at work delivering presents. Together they experience and explore London, from making new friends with two human children, Thomas and Rose, to smelling the delicious scents of Christmas dinner. For Rodasauri, it’s truly a trip to remember.
Dee’s writing style keeps the story simple and sweet, making it fun for younger children. Even the layout of the text is a little treat in this book, from rounding the words to help guide the reading tone to having the words travel over the London skyline. These little details really do matter in picture books, as they add to the storytelling. I will say that I think one or two words might be a bit of a challenge for early readers. Rodasauri’s name, for instance, might be tricky for some children to read (I struggled to say it out loud as well), especially if they were like me and had a little lisp. This book is best suited for toddlers and early primary-aged children who I think will enjoy this little adventure, even if they might need a little help with the words here and there.
The illustrations by Chrissie Yeomans are charming and playful. Rodasauri is quite cute, and Yeomans gets quite a lot of expression on his little face. The background, especially the night sky, creates a very cozy vibe though.
Ultimately, Rodasauri the Dinosaur's Trip to London is a cute little story to read with the little one on the run-up to Christmas. This book is sure to be a hit with any dinosaur-loving young reader.
