A saur-ingly fun read. Hand this to those who love dinos and all things science.
A science-loving dinosaur saves his friends.
Few have heard of Spike the Stemosaurus, who’s inquisitive and good with numbers. Small and quiet, he’s not nearly as well known as his more rambunctious pals, who enjoy wrestling, heavy lifting, and racing; Spike prefers exploring, inventing, and learning about the world. Sometimes he longs to be strong, tall, and fast, like his pals. He invents “cretaceous contraptions” to make those wishes real, but he still sees himself as “a rather weak, slightly short, kind of awkward Stemosaurus.” When a giant meteor begins hurtling to Earth one day, Spike does some mathematical calculations and concludes that its impact will be catastrophic. The other dinos are terrified, but Spike devises a solution, and together the friends build the “first-ever TERRIFIC TEAMWORK TRIASSIC TELEPORTER.” Everyone climbs aboard, and Spike sets the time machine—for 65 million years hence! Flash-forward to the present: Everyone’s aware of the Stemosaurus now. This whimsical tale will delight dinosaur fans and other science-minded kids. It celebrates friendship, cooperation, and the idea that everyone’s got strengths and talents worthy of respect—and wittily turns the meteors-killed-off-dinosaurs theory on its ear. The dynamic digital illustrations are comically appealing. Bespectacled blue Spike and the dinosaurs are adorable; background humans are diverse.
A saur-ingly fun read. Hand this to those who love dinos and all things science. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 22, 2025
ISBN: 9781662520471
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Warm but underdone.
In this picture book from actor Gyllenhaal and his partner, Caruso, a child and his uncle bond on a fantastic journey.
Leo, an avid dancer, is dismayed when Uncle Mo visits—he’s in town for a “rubber band convention.” Illustrations show both with wavy brown hair and light tan skin. Not only does Leo think his uncle is rather dull, he’s also leery of Uncle Mo’s many rules. A rather abrupt narrative shift occurs when the pair inexplicably drive into another dimension. Here they encounter Great-Aunt Gloria (who is very tall and presents Black) and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle (who is very short and light-skinned), who guide them through the Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. Unimpressed with Uncle Mo, Great-Aunt Gloria says he must take a quiz on “Auntieology and Uncleology.” After several wrong answers, Uncle Mo has a final chance at redemption: He must state his nephew’s favorite activity. When Leo springs into action to dance for his clueless uncle, a mishap leaves him mortified and un-bespectacled. Enter Uncle Mo to save the day by using a rubber band to secure Leo’s glasses. While Santat’s energetic illustrations do much to clarify the narrative, they can’t fully make up for the disjointed storytelling—it’s never clear why the two have entered this dimension or why Leo is suddenly so eager to help Uncle Mo. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Warm but underdone. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781250776990
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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