A UNICORN, A DINOSAUR, AND A SHARK WALK INTO A BOOK

Stop me if you’re heard this one….

This book’s title sounds like the setup for an interesting joke, but it’s an even better premise for a fantastically funny picture book. The humor lies in the characters’ interactions with the initially unseen narrator, whose goal is to use the titular animals to create the best book ever. What could possibly go wrong? The answer, of course, is lots of things—starting with the narrator’s lack of reason for the characters to be in the story outside of the claim that “EVERYONE LOVES books about unicorns, dinosaurs, and sharks!” The trio gamely try to play along, but when the narrator—a kawaii-esque kitty—at last appears, the final joke hits home, to the amusement of readers everywhere. Sure, it’s cerebral humor, but it’s also a tale that, in the right hands, can transform any storytime into a delightful piece of absurd theater. The zany cartoonish images pair well with the droll text, and the trio (maybe quartet?) of characters will quickly become a staple for teachers and librarians everywhere. Fans of Mo Willems’ pachyderm-porker pair will love this foursome. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

It’s no joke; this book is good!