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
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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