written by Candace Fleming
illustrated by Eric Rohmann

About the book

Penny feels certain that something is following her down the hall as she walks with her class through the Natural History Museum. She looks—nothing. She looks again—still nothing. She looks one more time and spies a verrrrry long neck and a verrrrry long tail on something that looks suspiciously like a baby brontosaurus!

Penny might be only five, but she knows dinosaurs are extinct. And yet, one seems to be following her. The little dino and Penny spend time together all over the museum, and when Penny doesn’t see a giant adult dinosaur lumbering around, she realizes Pip—as she’s named him—must be on his own. The only thing to do is to feed him some snacks and take him home with her…if she can figure out how.

Awards and Honors
Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of 2023

Reviews

Deceptively simple and very appealing illustrations with just the right amount of detail partner perfectly with the gentle humor and suspense of the straightforward yet graceful text. Visible pencil strokes give the art an intimate, tender feel. Young readers and listeners are sure to appreciate Penny and Pip’s predicament, cheer them on from start to finish, and return to this story again and again. As our young heroes walk through the museum and into the future, one can only hope that more tales of this charming duo are soon to come! (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

Fleming showcases Penny’s precocious thinking while Rohmann’s digitally colored art is deftly outlined in velvety smooth black pencil strokes, giving a delicate texture to this endearing story. [...] An imaginative story that is sure to have young readers longing for their own extraordinary dinosaur adventure, while arranging their next trip to a museum. A must-have for every library’s picture book collection. (School Library Journal, starred review)

Young readers will be thoroughly charmed by the text’s absolute faith in this future. Rohmann’s loose strokes of black colored pencil, digitally colored, position his characters against uncomplicated, mostly white backgrounds that keep the focus on their emotional connection. Like Pip, this openhearted invitation to imagination is a keeper. (Horn Book Magazine, starred review)

Coupled with Rohmann’s pencil and digitally colored art, which conveys soft black lines and velvety textures, Fleming’s calm, reportorial tone creates a lovely, almost old-fashioned openheartedness. And the story’s resolution, which involves a smartly executed subterfuge in the museum gift shop, speaks to self-assured Penny’s steadfastness in applying clever logic to the fantastical. (Publishers Weekly)