For little birds, who are the secrets of living.
—K.S. For the dino lovers and birdwatchers alike, and for my nephew.
—N.H.
Textcopyright©2023KurtisScaletta
BookIllustrationscopyright©2023NikHenderson
PublisheddesignbyMelissaNelsonGreenberg in 2023 by CAMERON + COMPANY, a division of ABRAMS.
Printed in China
ISBN: 978-1-951836-66-5
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
storedAllrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbookmaybereproduced, in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by oranymeans,mechanical,electronic,photocopying,recording, Libraryotherwise,withoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher. ofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataavailable.
CAMERON KIDS is an imprint of CAMERON + COMPANY CAMERON + COMPANY Petaluma, California www.cameronbooks.com
written by illustrated by
“I don’t like being small,” little Dee told Mama one night. “I have to scrounge for seeds dropped by other birds. And today the red-tailed hawk tried to eat me.”
“We may be small, Dee. But your sixty-million-times great-great-great-grandmother was an ENORMOUS
DINOSAUR.
Her name was Granny Rex, and she was taller than the trees.”
“DDid Granny Rex eat seeds?”
“No, Dee. She ate OTHER DINOSAURS with her BIG CHOMPING TEETH.”
“Did she say chick-a-dee-dee-dee like you and me?”
“No, Dee. Granny Rex said . . .“
“Did Granny Rex have a short feathery tail like mine?”
“No, Dee. She had a MASSIVE CRUSHING TAIL. But she did have feathers.”
“Mama, I bet Granny Rex wasn’t afraid of anybody, not even the red-tailed hawk.”
“You have that right, Dee. There were no hawks back then, but Granny Rex was QUEEN OF THE DINOSAURS.”
“Mama, when I grow up, I want to be like Granny Rex.“
“You already are, Dee. She lives in your bones. Now go to sleep.”
Dee dreamed of Granny Rex storming through the seed ferns and conifers, the other dinosaurs all running away from her thunderous steps.
The red-tailed hawk’s sixty-million-times great-greatgreat-grandfather was there.
Granny Rex walloped him with her gigantic tail and sent him flying, then let out a mighty ROAR that made the trees tremble.
In the morning Dee stomped on little bird feet. She tried to ROAR at the cardinals, woodpeckers, and jays. But all the other birds did was laugh.
The red-tailed hawk swooped down toward her. Dee swung her tiny tail at him.
The hawk laughed loudest and hardest of all.
Dee straggled home to the nest.
“What’s wrong?” Mama asked.
“Mama, if Granny Rex was so enormous, why are we so small?”
“The world changed, Dee, and we changed too . . .”
“Food was scarce. Your grandmothers lifted their little arms to the sky until they turned into wings, so they could travel far and wide.
“The days were dark. Your grandmothers taught themselves to sing so that they could find each other.
“But Granny Rex still lives on in our feathers. Never forget, Dee, that you are a dinosaur.”
The next day Dee scrambled for seeds. The other birds tried to push her aside, but she slipped by them and ate her fill.
I am a dinosaur, she reminded herself. I’m clever and resourceful.
The next day at the birdfeeder Dee scrambled for seeds. The robins and jays tried to push her aside, but she slipped by them and ate her fill.
I am a dinosaur, she reminded herself. I’m clever and
On her way home, the red-tailed hawk started to chase her. Dee sped ahead, did a flip in the air, and slipped away just as he snapped down.
I am a dinosaur! she told herself.
I’m quick and nimble.
When the hawk turned his attention to a nest of baby jays, Dee thought, Iamnotjustadinosaur.IamQUEEN oftheDINOSAURS!Iamstrong and brave!
On her way home, the red-tailed hawk started to chase her. Dee sped ahead, did a flip in the air, and slipped away just as he snapped down.
I am a dinosaur! she told herself. I’m quick and
Reaching into the tips of her feathers and the hollows of her bones, Dee let out a roar that made the trees tremble . . .
Granny Rex would be proud.
