A playful story, this book combines a young boy’s love of bananas with his wild imagination. Written by Inuit author Sarabeth Holden, Benny the Bananasaurus Rex draws readers into the whimsical world of dinosaur-dressing Benny, who eats, plays, and dreams bananas. Benny’s curiosity about the Inuktitut language leads him to ask his anaanatsiaq (grandmother) about their traditional language. This story offers a peek into the intergenerational roles of a contemporary Inuit family. This is an entertaining book suitable for any K–3 classroom and is sure to delight a classroom of children who are learning about being active listeners, making personal connections to stories, and that reading is fun. K–3 subject areas: English Language Arts.

Images: Colour illustrations
Contributor Affiliation: Author Sarabeth Holden (Inuit), Illustrator Emma Pedersen
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Source: Books BC - Indigenous Books for Schools

Sarabeth Holden is an entrepreneur who loves to cook, do yoga, golf, and snowboard. She lives in Toronto with her husband, Sean, their sons, Raymond and Jackson, and their dog, Oslo. The whole crew loves to spend time outside. When they’re not outside, Sarabeth enjoys singing made-up songs to make things like diaper changes and face wiping a little more bearable so they can get back to the things they love: blowing raspberries, having kitchen dance parties, and reading stories. Sarabeth grew up in Nova Scotia, Nunavut, New Brunswick, and Ontario, and is now the president of the Toronto Inuit Association, supporting the local Inuit community as it grows.

Sarabeth Holden's profile page

Emma Pedersen is an illustrator and concept artist with a love for visual storytelling and character design. With BFAs from the Ontario College of Art and Design in drawing and painting, and from Sheridan College in illustration, Emma specializes in children’s illustration. Her first picture book is Queenie Quail Can’t Keep Up (2019). Emma lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her partner and a beloved, and smelly, little dog.

Emma Pedersen's profile page

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"An engaging and endearing story about a boy who loves bananas and dinosaurs so much that one day using his imagination he turns into a bananasaurus! Through the story, we see Benny’s supportive family, their love and respect for his creativity and the powerful role language plays in connecting people."—Toronto Star

"The book’s silliness is its strength; it will certainly reach imaginative little readers who might themselves be obsessed with a particular creature, costume, or food...Deliciously playful and imaginative."—Kirkus

"Youngsters will enjoy having this book read to them. Teachers/caregivers can use this book with discussions about different types of families."—CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"This entertaining, tongue-in-cheek story about a child’s obsession and the power of imagination is the second picture book by Inuk author Sarabeth Holden. Toronto-based illustrator Emma Pedersen clearly has a field day bringing the story to life, switching back and forth between cute little Benny-boy and his huge scary dinosaur persona, as she seamlessly mixes ordinary family-life and effervescent imagination. A fun read for all ages published by Inuit-owned Inhabit Media, who are committed to promoting fascinating Inuit stories both traditional and new." — The White Ravens