Microsaurs--That's MY Tiny-Saurus Rex Page 7
“You were right, Lin. Today has been a very lucky day,” I said, then I closed my eyes as Lin came in for the CHOP!
* * *
Lin’s house was on the way, so I walked her home before heading to mine. I had plenty of time to think about the day I’d just had. I’d learned a lot about science and things being a little unpredictable, but what I mostly learned was that asking for help was not only okay, it was really smart. Well, in most cases. Asking your best friend for help with a haircut, well, that wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had.
My dad was sitting on the porch, reading the sports section of the newspaper, when I got home. He smiled at me, then the look on his face turned from happy to really concerned.
“What in the world happened to your hair, Danny?” he asked.
“Well, Dad. You know that science is messy, right?” I said.
He folded up his paper and tucked it under his arm, then stood up and opened the door for me. “I sure do, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of this story.”
I could smell lasagna cooking in the oven, and I nearly passed out thinking about how wonderful it was going to taste. “It all started when Lin scarfed down an entire box of Fruity Stars cereal in almost five minutes.”
“Wow. That might be some kind of record,” my dad said.
I looked up at my dad and smiled.
It had been a long day, but something dawned on me just then. I had a great best friend, an amazing micro-paleontologist for a mentor, a Microterium full of Microsaurs to take care of, and the best dad on planet Earth. Then I realized that Lin’s prediction from earlier in the day was true.
Today had been a lucky day. A very, very lucky day indeed.
A MESSAGE FROM PENROD
“Hello there, Danny. Do you notice anything different about me? Give up? I trimmed my mustache, of course.
“I wanted to send you and Lin a quick message to once again say thanks for your help. I know it’s been a rough couple of weeks, but I think we’ve all learned a great deal. These lessons will make us all stronger and improve the lives of the Microsaurs.
“Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your point of view, I’ve been called away again. In all the hustle-and-bustle today, I neglected to mention that I had met someone who might be able to help us with the Microsaurs.
“Danny and Lin, I’d like you to meet Dr. Sheela Carlyle. She’s a renowned paleobotanist, a dinosaur plant specialist if you will, that I met on a dig site in China. She was quite surprised to find out about the Microsaurs, and she’s joining up with me again on a new adventure in the red desert canyons of Southern Utah. Say hello, Dr. Sheela.”
“Hello, Dr. Sheela.”
“And she’s funny to boot. My kind of adventuring partner, for sure. Anyway. I’ll be back in a few days. A week at most, so once again I leave the Microterium in your capable hands.
“Oh, and I nearly forgot in all the excitement today. But I’ve introduced a new herd of Microsaurs into the Microterium. I placed them in the far back corner in an area I’ve been thinking of as the rolling, grassy plains, but I’m sure you’ll think of a better name, Lin. They would love a visit from the two of you. Perhaps you could stop by soon and introduce yourselves to them. They are an interesting herd, because they have somewhat adopted a stray. A very large stray, however. He’s an Apatosaurus named Wilson. You can’t miss him; he might be the largest Microsaur in the Microterium.
“Well, I guess that’s it for now. We’ll see you again soon, and remember: Adventure awaits!”
FACTS ABOUT TYRANNOSAURUS REX
• The T. rex was big! HUGE, actually. Not only were they as long as a school bus, a full-grown Tyrannosaurus rex was taller than a basketball hoop and weighed nine tons! That’s more than a full-grown African bull elephant!
• An adult Tyrannosaurus rex had over sixty teeth that were up to nine inches long, and they were made for ripping and gripping.
• If you think Pizza and Cornelia are growing fast now, just wait until they hit the age of fourteen. Scientists discovered that was the most rapid period of growth for Tyrannosaurus by studying the bones of lots of different-aged T. rexes. When they hit the age of fourteen, they could weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Four years later, a T. rex weighs more than 12,000 pounds. And that wasn’t fat—it was pure muscle.
• Even though the Tyrannosaurus rex is known for its tiny arms, their two clawed arms were actually very strong. Their arms were about three feet long, and after studying the arm bones and spots where the muscles attached to the bones, scientists estimate that T. rex could lift around 430 pounds with each arm. Scientists also suggest that arm wrestling a Tyrannosaurus would be a very, VERY bad idea.
• In 1997 the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago purchased a 90 percent–complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil skeleton for 8.4 MILLION dollars! The dino skeleton, which is nicknamed Sue after its discoverer Sue Hendrickson, is still on display today.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book, in many ways, echoes Danny and Lin’s experience in the Microterium. It has truly been an adventure. At times, it has been an experiment. I would say there was a time there when it was a disaster. If I hadn’t been surrounded by a team of VERY smart and supportive people, this book would have looked a whole lot like the Fruity Stars Lab 2.0.
So, I am lucky enough to have a little space to thank those whom I relied on to make it through the mess.
My wife and constant reader, Jodi. The first line of defense. If she doesn’t like it, it doesn’t go out the door.
Gemma Cooper, my agent. Gemma gathers my complaints, my worries, my fears, and turns them into confidence. I have no idea how she does it, but I’m sure convinced it lies somewhere between magic and wonder.
Holly West, my editor. How did I get so lucky to find an editor who gets my Portal 2 references, introduces me to Critical Role, cosplays as my favorite Agents of Shield character, and loves dinosaurs? I mean seriously, HOW DID I GET SO LUCKY?
My children. Most of whom are taller than me now, and yet they are still not tired of hearing me daydream about Danny, Lin, and the Microsaurs. Don’t worry, kids, I’m just getting started.
To the many wonderful people at Feiwel and Friends. Thanks for helping me achieve yet another crazy dream. You all hold a place in my heart.
And of course, to you, the reader. I mean—you are the best. You know that, right? Just the way you are. You are creative, smart, wise beyond your years, full of wonder, and ready for an adventure. I know because you obviously have wonderful taste in books.
Follow us on Facebook or visit us online at mackids.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DUSTIN HANSEN, author of Game On! and the Microsaurs series, was raised in rural Utah where he spent many days hiking red rock canyons that once belonged to the dinosaurs. After studying art at Snow College, Dustin began working in the video game industry, where he has been following his passions of art and writing for more than twenty years. When not writing or making video games, Dustin can often be found hiking with his family in the same canyons he grew up in, with a sketchbook in his pocket, a new idea in his mind, and a well-stocked backpack over his shoulders.
Visit him online at dustwrites.com or sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter 1: New and Improved
Chapter 2: Sliding into Place
Chapter 3: Out with the Old, in with the New
Chapter 4: Terrible Twin Trouble
Chapter 5: A Test for Bruno
Chapter 6:
The Master of Disaster
Chapter 7: Just a Little Detour
Chapter 8: Junior Zookeeper’s Class
Chapter 9: We’re Down Here!
Chapter 10: Pibbs to the Rescue
Chapter 11: He’s Back!
Chapter 12: A Proper Diagnosis
Chapter 13: Big Again
A Message From Penrod
Facts About Tyrannosaurus Rex
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 by Dustin Hansen
A Feiwel and Friends Book
An imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
mackids.com
All rights reserved.
Feiwel and Friends logo designed by Filomena Tuosto
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017944814
Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First edition 2018
eBook edition January 2018
eISBN 9781250090317