A familiar interchange, featuring a less-ferocious-looking cousin of the tempestuous T. Rex of Bob Shea’s Dinosaur vs....
A parent/caregiver—unseen after a glimpse at the beginning—translates a “terrible twos”–style tantrum into a movie-monster rampage.
As it turns out, it’s all just a failure to communicate. As a Godzilla-like monster emerges from the ocean in Tankard’s thick-lined cartoon scenes and proceeds to wreak havoc amid skyscrapers, the now-unseen narrator scolds every action. The amused tone of the narrative—“Wipe your feet, Destructosaurus! For crying out loud, you’re tracking seaweed and dead fish all over the tourists”—turns annoyed as the rampage continues: “Stop throwing around buildings that don’t belong to you. You’ve been brought up better than that, you naughty monster!” But when the uproar turns out to have been just a search for a misplaced teddy bear, the scolding changes to repentance (“You could have used your words. But, still. Sorry I yelled”) and ends with a hug. Also, after a “GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW,” a general tidying up. The silliness of the premise is nicely amplified by the mixed-media illustrations, which feature disaster-movie perspectives and lots of rubble.
A familiar interchange, featuring a less-ferocious-looking cousin of the tempestuous T. Rex of Bob Shea’s Dinosaur vs. Bedtime (2008) and its sequels. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2454-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
Young dino fans will enjoy it, though their grown-ups may not.
What sounds did dinosaurs make? We don't really know.
Litton suggests some possibilities while introducing sophisticated vocabulary in a board-book format. Five dinosaurs are featured: Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Pterodactyl, Diplodocus, and Triceratops. For each species there is a brief description that highlights its distinctive features, followed by an invitation to hear and repeat the dinosaur's sound. There is no explanation for why scientists think T. Rex “roared,” Stegosaurus “howled,” Pterodactyl “screeched,” Diplodocus “growled,” or Triceratops “grunted.” The author tries to avoid sexism, carefully referring to two of the creatures as “she,” but those two are also described in stereotypically less-ferocious terms than the male dinos. The touch point on the Pterodactyl is a soft section of wing. Readers are told that Diplodocus “loved splashing in swamps,” and the instruction is to “tickle her tummy to hear her growl,” implying that this giant creature was gentle and friendly. None of this may matter to young paleontologists, who will enjoy finding the tactile section on each creature that triggers the sound. Despite extensive directions in small print, most parents and libraries won't bother to change the battery secured by a tiny hex screw, but while the battery lasts, the book will get lots of play.
Young dino fans will enjoy it, though their grown-ups may not. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-58925-207-3
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
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