A cute “tiniest” dinosaur is here to get you ready for Christmas

Christmas may be two long months away, but two New West writers can’t wait to get people in the holiday spirit.

Steven Kothlow and his partner Bryce Raffle launched their new children’s book, The Littlest Dinosaur’s First Christmas, in September; and preparing to take a mini book tour of the Lower Mainland on November 19 with a visit to New Wests Kinder Books.

The book is the fourth in The smallest dinosaur sSeries launched in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

The littlest dinosaur (“it has no name”) has come a long way from being just an egg in the first book, befriending a tyrannosaurus, Ty, and finding a home and family.

Now in the fourth and newest book, the littlest dinosaur is really looking forward to Christmas, Kothlow said.

“It’s the first time the littlest dino sees snow and learns about Christmas; and he thinks that he and (his friend) Ty will both get many presents, and all the presents are for himself.”

But how does the little one take the news that Ty’s mother, Mama Tyrannosaur, has planned to donate many of the gifts he thought were for him to children and families in need?

In the illustrated story, the smallest dinosaur understands that there is something more precious than a gift with a bow – “Are you sad that we gave away all those gifts?”. Mama Tyrannosaur asks him; and he says, ‘No, because we have the greatest gift of all, which is family,’” Kothlow read from the book.

A book about inclusion and respect

By writing a story about a little dino who befriends a tyrannosaurus that everyone thinks is scary; and being adopted into a single-parent family, Kothlow and Raffle know they’ve grappled with big issues like adoption, single parenting, inclusion, and the importance of seeing everyone without judgment.

“Inclusion is very important to both of us, especially these days when so much is happening in the world and not everyone feels like they have a voice. But we all have a voice,” Kothlow said.

“And we all have the ability to speak up and talk about subjects that are uncomfortable to talk about. And that’s just part of life,” he added.

“And if you write that in books, or talk about it at all, then it’s a good way to bring us closer together – we might look different, but we’re actually all pretty much the same. We are all human and we all have emotions and feel feelings. But in the end we are really all one.”

Kothlow and Raffle, who are part of the LGBT+ community, always wanted to write a children’s book, but what really got the push was a desire to be “the best role models” for their nieces and nephews.

And coincidentally, her eldest niece and nephew were fascinated by dinosaurs, just as Kothlow and Raffle were and still are as kids. “I still find it very fascinating that they lived on this earth a long time ago,” Kothlow said.

And just as the idea of ​​using the prehistoric animal as a protagonist came up, another nephew was born at that time. “So he was a bit of an inspiration too [for starting the book with a dino baby as the star].”

In two years, the writing duo has already published four books in the series, including a full-fledged website with downloadable recipes for hummus (Ty’s favorite dish) and Mama Tyrannosaurus’ vegan waffles.

What’s next for the Smol Dino? Does the little one ever grow up?

“I don’t know. Maybe he’ll grow up or he’ll always be a kid.”

Meet Raffle and Kothlow at the book signing at Kinder Books, 810 Quayside Dr. on Saturday, November 19 from 12pm to 3pm