The Only Dinosaur in School

Book Author and Illustrator Leonie Agnew & Julia Hegetusch
Rights Available World, excl. NZ, Australia

Theo is a dinosaur – which came as a shock to his human parents! Nevertheless they love him. dearly. On his first day at school, Theo refuses to go in because he’s different to all the other kids, so Mum makes him a human costume. Next day, he is allocated a friend to look after him, who is sympathetic about his clumsiness. And when Theo finally decides it’s time to reveal his true identity, what a surprise he gets to discover many of his classmates are also dressed in human costumes!

• Tackles fitting in, celebrating differences, and building friendships in a fun and imaginative way.
• Julia Hegetusch’s whimsical artwork brings Theo’s vibrant world and wild playground to life.
• Encourages discussions about inclusivity, empathy, and finding confidence in being unique.

About the Author

Leonie Agnew is a children’s writer and teacher. She won the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award with her first book for Scholastic, Super Finn, which also won the Junior Fiction award, Best First Book and Children’s Choice awards at the NZ Children’s Book Awards in 2012. She has written a number of other middle-grade fiction titles, including the Esther Glen award-winner The Memory Thief. She has also been the recipient of a writing residency at the University of Otago. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

About the Illustrator

Julia Hegetusch was born in New Zealand but has spent much of her life living in
Germany, growing up in a family of artists. She has formally and informally studied
graphic design, photography, abstract and figurative art. It was during Covid that she discovered a love for illustration and narrative storytelling.

Julia works part-time as a childhood educator, which provides a great insight into the stories that children enjoy. In her free time, she enjoys walking in the mountains or forest, or on the beach. She currently resides in Levin with her partner and daughter. Her first book with Scholastic was 2024’s Sleep is for Babies!