DINO-HOCKEY

It’s prehistoric pandemonium on ice as the toothy Meat-Eaters (in red jerseys) and the tough Veggiesaurs (in green) face off in a wild championship game. Wheeler’s commentary—“Veggiesaurs have got the puck! / Stego licks his stick for luck. / Tricera slips. He spins. He reels! / Watch out—check! And Raptor steals!”—captures the slapshot-quick pace. Recognizable dino types in full hockey gear flash back and forth between the goals in Gott’s high-energy scenes, grinning and wielding human-sized (i.e., comically diminutive) sticks for a rambunctious dino-crowd. Some hard checking, a fight broken up by the dodo Ref and a late goal later, the Veggiesaurs emerge triumphant—but, look out, soccer season’s right around the corner. There’s many a tale featuring dinosaurs playing, being pets and even dancing, but here’s an activity far better suited to their red-in-tooth-and-claw natures. (Picture book. 6-8)