An appealing story for dinophiles and library skeptics.
Mrs. Barker’s third grade class encounters a surprise during a trip to the library in Allen’s picture book.
Alyssa loathes the library, and she’s skeptical when her teacher, Mrs. Barker, asserts that there are dinosaurs there. During a class visit to the library, Mrs. Barker pulls out a book about the prehistoric creatures. Alyssa initially scoffs at this, but when the teacher opens the book, a stegosaurus leaps out and begins to eat the library’s plants. Each time Mrs. Barker turns the page, a different herbivorous dino emerges to frolic with the kids. Alyssa wants to try it herself, so she grabs the book—and accidentally unleashes a velociraptor and a Tyrannosaurus rex. The children panic, but Mrs. Barker softly closes the book and the creatures vanish. A smiling Alyssa comments, “Next time, maybe you could pick a book on koalas.” Cordova’s full-color illustrations are lively and vibrant; even the dinosaurs’ faces are expressive. The various character have a range of skin tones; Alyssa’s is portrayed as pale white; Mrs. Barker’s is depicted as brown. The text would have benefited from more information about the dinosaurs that appear (including how to pronounce their names), but the story is playful and entertaining enough that readers may be enticed to look them up for themselves—at their local library.
An appealing story for dinophiles and library skeptics.Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2023
ISBN: 9798218197698
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
This frenetic ode to fatherhood is predictable fare but may please series fans.
It’s time to look for the elusive Daddysaurus.
In this latest installment in the seemingly never-ending series about a group of diverse kids attempting to trap mythical creatures, the youngsters are now on the lookout for a big mauve dinosaur with an emblazoned D on his stomach and a superhero cape. The fast-moving Daddysaurus is always on the go; he will be difficult to catch. Armed with blueprints of possible ideas, the kids decide which traps to set. As in previous works, ones of the sticky variety seem popular. They cover barbells with fly paper (Daddysaurus like to exercise) and spread glue on the handle of a shovel (Daddysaurus also likes to garden). One clever trick involves tempting Daddysaurus with a drawing of a hole, taped to the wall, because he fixes everything that breaks. Daddysaurus is certainly engaged in the children’s lives, not a workaholic or absent, but he does fall into some standard tropes associated with fathers. The rhyming quatrains stumble at times but for the most part bounce along. Overall, though, text and art feel somewhat formulaic and likely will tempt only devotees of the series. The final page of the book (after Daddysaurus is caught with love) has a space for readers to write a note or draw a picture of their own Daddysaurus. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
This frenetic ode to fatherhood is predictable fare but may please series fans. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-72826-618-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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