Easton Author’s New Book is a Roaring Tale for Animal Lovers

Local author Anna Staniszewski didn’t yet have children when she began writing for young readers, but she did have a dog named Emma. And that dog was a lovable goofball who couldn’t wait to go on walks. “If I wasn’t putting my shoes on fast enough for her,” Staniszewski recalls, “Emma would stomp her feet and whimper.” One day, during this pre-walk ritual, Staniszewski turned to her pet and said, “Hold on, Dogosaurus Rex. We’re going!” All during the walk, Staniszewski says that phrase “Dogosaurus Rex” kept bouncing around in her head. When she got home, she sat down and started writing.

Eventually, a story emerged about a boy who adopts a dog from a shelter, not realizing that his new pooch, named Sadie, is actually a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The boy soon learns that the responsibilities of “dog” ownership, such as grooming and feeding, are a bit more chaotic—and a lot more hilarious—when they involve such an unusual pet. With the help of her agent, Staniszewski sold Dogosaurus Rex to Henry Holt, an imprint of Macmillan, back in 2011. Now, six years later, the book is finally hitting bookstores.

“It’s been a slow process,” Staniszewski admits. “Picture books tend to take longer to publish than novels because so much work goes into the design and artwork, but this journey was particularly long.” But when renowned illustrator Kevin Hawkes, known for such best-sellers as Library Lion, was brought on board for the project, Staniszewski knew it was worth the wait.

The book, officially released this week, has already garnered plenty of dino-sized praise. Publisher’s Weekly gave it a starred review, calling it a “delightfully mischievous story” that “brings to mind vintage children’s books” and School Library Journal says that this “delightful and funny read-aloud will entice children of all ages.”

Staniszewski, an Easton resident for almost a decade, is the author of nearly a dozen novels for tweens, including the popular Dirt Diary series. When it comes to writing for preschool audiences, she says she enjoys the challenge of packing so much story into so few words. “I love picture books because the text and illustrations work together so effortlessly,” she says. When she first saw the sketches for Dogosaurus Rex, she was thrilled. “They perfectly capture the spirit of the text and make you just fall in love with Sadie.”

When she’s not writing, Staniszewski teaches in the MFA Writing for Children program at Simmons College in Boston. She will be reading her new book during a special dinosaur-themed story time this Thursday, August 10th at 10:30am at the Ames Free Library.