Dinosaurs in Reykjavik

A rip-roaring Jurassic Park-esque adventure about friendship and some rather destructive dinosaurs.

Aevar doesn't have many friends but at his surprise eleventh birthday party, he and his unexpected guests – three classmates from school he barely knows – make their way into the basement of his family home, where they discover rocks that turn out to be dinosaur eggs. The classmates hatch the eggs and look after the tiny dinosaurs using as much knowledge as they can glean from science books. Soon the dinos become too big to hide from Aevar's parents. But when Aevar's dad transforms the backyard into a clandestine dinosaur pen, everything seems to be going smoothly – Aevar's mum even writes out a "Dinosaur Bill" that outlines the do's and don'ts of dinosaur care. The children become friends through their daily visits to tend to their new pets, and Aevar learns to befriend the others. But things go awry when one of them leaves the pen unlocked and the dinosaurs escape. Chaos ensues as the dinosaurs run amok in Reykjavik and the new friends have to work together to prevent disaster. This is the first title in a four book series.

Read an extract

Here's what our judges had to say:

"Told in a free-wheeling style with great humour, this book is as much about the joys of making new friends and appreciating their qualities and talents, as it is about the fun of raising a T-Rex in your bedroom." – David Cross

"A romp of a story that will appeal to anyone - geeky or not - with an interest in dinosaurs and a love of adventure who is looking for a good yarn with plenty of action." – Jill Coleman