  | Archibald and the furry dinosaurs Author: Lang, Suzanne | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Long ago, in the time of prehistoric preening, all dinosaurs have fur. All except for one. Meet Archibald. When Archibald embarks on a dangerous quest to find his lost locks, he encounters danger at every turn. While he may not end this story with even a strand of hair on his head, he does begin to see that his life is wonderful as it is.
| Illustrator: | Lang, Max |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/01/25)
School Library Journal (+) (09/19/25)
Booklist (00/09/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 05/26/2025 For this entertaining picture book, married collaborators the Langs (Grumpy Monkey) dream up a thoroughly goofy prehistoric world populated by dinosaurs that sport luxurious hair and fur: "Fluffy, curly, bearded, dreadlocked, and shaggy." As the terrifically tressed terrible lizards spend their days "shampooing, combing, picking, brushing, and preening," they also offer somewhat patronizing consolation to Archibald-a googly-eyed dino who is "as bald as a boulder." Wondering what happened to the fluff he sported as a hatchling, Archibald embarks on a quest to find it. Digital illustrations, resembling watercolor and ink sketches, deftly move the endearing protagonist through scenes that range from touching to mildly menacing as Archibald discovers that what he lacks in hair he has in bravery and more. And when Archibald finally encounters his dust-mop-like ’do, he finds that it’s both sentient and self-actualizing, and a font of follicular wisdom, to boot. Archibald’s newfound confidence inspires the other dinosaurs to shed their locks, too, and the rest is history-and a not-so-bald-faced lesson in getting comfortable in one’s scales. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) - Copyright 2025
School Library Journal - 09/19/2025 K-Gr 3—The team behind the "Grumpy Monkey" books brings readers Archibald, a "bald as a boulder" dinosaur in the age when all the other dinosaurs are furry. Left out from the communal "shampooing, combing, picking, brushing, and preening," Archibald goes on a quest for his long-lost hair. Clever wordplay abounds as Archibald flees Wollyciraptors, stumbles on a Shaginosaur nest, tricks the Haironodons with a spinach hat (Haironodons hate spinach), and narrowly escapes the terrifying Furranasaurus with a stroke of luck. He even manages to save a small dinosaur named Pom-Pom. Though Archibald finally locates his hair, a surprise ending will please readers and parents alike when the two don't happily reunite, cleverly subverting an expected trope; instead, the other dinosaurs, jealous of Archibald's freedom from hair care and ability to wear all kinds of hats, shave their own heads, curls and locks flying. Delicately drawn vignettes that heavily feature warm browns and greens are interspersed with full-bleed illustrations; these render the dinosaurs more friendly than scary, and that helps ground a delightful tale. VERDICT For story hours and read-alones, this is for dinosaur lovers and all readers—hairless or not.—Rebecca Kirshenbaum - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
