A laugh-out-loud, quirky new middle grade series that looks at bullying in an entirely new and inventive way.
Sawyer’s grandfather was part Stegosaurus, so it wasn’t a complete surprise when puberty included growing spikes and a tail. But when the kids who bully him at school go missing it’s up to Sawyer and his friends, Elliott and Sylvie, to solve the mystery!
Despite the Principal’s Zero Tolerance Policy, Sawyer becomes a bully magnet, befriended only by Elliot aka “Gigantor” and the weird new girl. When the bullies start disappearing, Sawyer is relieved―until he discovers a secret about the principal that’s more shocking than Dino DNA. The bullies are in for a galactically horrible fate…and it’s up to Sawyer and his friends to rescue them.
Praise for Dinosaur Boy
KIRKUS
“A series debut with more twists than a strand of DNA” and “an entertaining barrel ride past sheaves of middle-grade themes from bullying to racial identity”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“[A]n ideal recommendation for reluctant readers. VERDICT: A fun and funny read with layers of deeper issues.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Credible characters and real-life issues like bullying, appreciating differences, and being true to oneself keep Oakes’s (The Veil) series kickoff grounded…Oakes draws on everything from the dubiousness of zero-tolerance bullying policies … to the importance of tolerance and the injustice of discrimination to create a story with unexpected depth.”
BOOKLIST
“A fun mix of school drama, science fiction, and humor, the story explores the daily hassles of living as part dinosaur, along with the real pain of bullying. First in a planned series, it should find a wide audience.”
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
“A rollicking, action-packed read.”
OTHER HONORS
Junior Library Guild Selection
2016/17 Sunshine State Young Readers Award List (#2 overall)
2017/18 Minnesota Youth Reading Award Nominee