Every parent knows the feeling. You have just mopped the floor. Then someone spills juice everywhere. Or a well-aimed muddy boot leaves its mark on the clean sofa. In those moments, it is hard to remember that mistakes can be wonderful learning opportunities. But that is exactly the message at the heart of Dino School, the latest Giggly Furbottom Adventure.
Deep in the emerald Great Fern Forest, a bouncing, legendary monster named Giggly Furbottom runs a very unusual classroom. His students are not children. They are five little dinosaurs with big personalities and even bigger capacity for getting things gloriously wrong.
Meet the gang. Speedy the Velociraptor is a tiny whirlwind who learns that racing through mud can lead to a very squelchy bellyflop. Rexy the T Rex is a big hearted roarer who discovers that shouting with a mouthful of food might send your burger flying across the forest. Munch the Brachiosaurus takes a nibble of something called a Bubble Berry and floats off on a dizzying sky high adventure. Trish the Triceratops bravely explores a dark rumbly cave and realises it is much better with a wise friend beside her. And Steggy the Stegosaurus finds out that while the tide might wash away a treasure, a friend’s hand is the greatest prize of all.
Written by Goose In Gold and beautifully illustrated by Kris Lillyman, Dino School is aimed at children aged roughly 5 to 9. It is the fourth book in the Adventures Collection, following earlier titles like Bedtime for Ella and Ella and the Undersea World. Two more books are coming soon in the Beginnings Collection for younger readers aged 3 to 6.
What makes this story so special is how it turns classic childhood mishaps into giggles. Rainbow bubbles, muddy tumbles, floating berries – every oopsie becomes a chance to learn about friendship, teamwork, bravery and kindness. The message is simple: being a dinosaur is about more than just stomping. It is about having the courage to try, even when you might fall flat on your snout.
The Giggly Furbottom world already has a YouTube channel (search Giggly Furbottom) where you can find more adventures. And if you are wondering who Goose In Gold really is, the author has been gently persuaded that maybe, just maybe, it is time to step out from behind the goose. But that is a story for another day.
For now, let the school bell ring. Are you ready to stomp, chomp and cheer? Dino School is available at Waterstones and Foyles. Grab a copy, curl up with your little dinosaur, and remember: the best lessons often start with a very silly oopsie.
Dino School and all Giggly Furbottom books are available https://gigglyfurbottom.com and Amazon.
Giggly Furbottom also has a wonderful dedicated YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@GigglyFurbottom/videos which contains suitable entertainment for children of all ages.
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Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
