Bert the Dinosnore  Deano Yipadee,   

Chris Collin 
Ill. Herb MacDonald

 

 Bert the Dinosnore                        
Deano Yipadee
Chris Collin
Ill. Herb MacDonald
Scholastic (2026)
Picture book
24 pages, Paperback:
ISBN 978 1 75990 000 1
24 pages, Hardback:
ISBN 978 1 75990 008 7

 

‘It was Bertie Boppit’s birthday, but he was fast asleep!
He dozed through his alarm clock – BEEP! – BEEP! – BEEP!’

 Where do dinosaurs sleep? Tucked up on a dino-pattern pillow, with a teddy bear. At least that’s how Herb MacDonald has drawn him.  Writers Deano Yipadee (creator of the Nee Naw series) and Chris Collin (creator of the Funky Chicken series) have discovered a new dinosaur. Bert the Dinosnore is large, green and sleep-addicted.

 A range of dinosaurs have gathered to celebrate Bert’s birthday but the birthday-boy is sound asleep. Nobody can wake him up. Nanny tries shouting without a result. Rex (a short-tempered tyrannosaurus, with a plumbing business) brings out a toilet plunger and fits it onto Bert’s head.

‘He pushed and he pulled till his little arms hurt,
then, together, he and Nanny yelled, ‘WAKE UP BERT!’

 The next steps Bert’s friends take include loud music from a dinosaur orchestra, fireworks, and a rock band performance  complete with floodlights and screaming dinosaur fans.

‘WAKE UP BERT!’

 Tired after their exhausting activities, almost all the dinosaurs fall asleep on the spot. The only one still awake is Nanny, who is still seated in her purple armchair quietly sewing. Then she nods off and something surprising follows which leads to a suitably funny ending.

 The authors have produced a story which can either be read aloud or sung. The chorus, ‘WAKE UP BERT!’is printed in large purple letters to ensure young readers join in the noise.

 Herb MacDonald’s colour illustrations are full of hilarious details. Bert’s pillow has a pattern of little pink dinosaurs. When the leaf-blower is switched on, Tyrannosaurus Rex’s trousers are blown away. A mighty blast from the trombonist then strips Rex naked, with only his ‘little arms’ to cover himself.  (Some young reader will be sharp enough to spot that the other 97% of the dinosaurs in this story are also naked! Rex must be a very sensitive tyrannosaurus.)

 This is a marvellous book for reading aloud (and we do mean ALOUD).

 The roar-along song, Bert the Dinosnore, can be streamed, or else a video performance can be viewed on Deano Yipadee’s website at www.yipadee.com. It can also be heard on Youtube.

 

Trevor Agnew

28 Oct 2026  [Review 3880.]