Rainbowsaurus

What happens when you follow a rainbow? And what – or who – will be waiting for you on the other side? In this joyful celebration of togetherness and adventure, two dads and their children are joined by a host of rainbow-coloured animals to oink, hiss, ribbit, growl and mew their way across the rainbow. They’re searching for a very singular beast, and when they finally meet the Rainbowsaurus, he does not disappoint. Children will be thrilled by what appears to be a multicoloured diplodocus roaring a full spectrum of colours – and who wouldn’t want to ride on such a creature’s head?

Loved for many books including the Mr Panda and The Queen’s Hat collections, Steve Antony understands what children enjoy, and delivers accessible, well-crafted fun that appeals to a wide audience, including children who don’t usually read for pleasure, and families that are less confident around books. The big, friendly dinosaur at the heart of this story has obvious child appeal, and the cumulative nature of the expedition to find him includes features that carers and educators will appreciate, such as colours, animal noises, repetitive text and a jaunty rhythm that becomes apparent when the story is read aloud. Practise a little first, though, to ensure you include every single one of those oinks and moos!

With its two-dad family and rainbow theme, this book flies a flag for LGBTQ+ inclusion, but it’s far from being an ‘issue book’ in that or any other respect. Drawn and painted on a stark white background that gives no hint of the wider setting, the illustrations have a style and vibrancy often associated with comic book art, and this adds to its popular appeal. Readers expecting sophisticated visual layering may be disappointed, though.

Rainbowsaurus has a pleasantly traditional feel about it, and families will warm to memories it evokes of old-school favourites by picturebook creators such as Pamela Allen, Rod Campbell and Pat Hutchins. It also reads well aloud.