While removable dinosaur pieces connected with ribbons might seem like a good idea in theory, in practice, readers wind up...
Rhyming couplets present basic information about Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops and more in this novelty item featuring removable dinosaurs.
Brightly colored and cartoonish movable dinosaur pieces are the intended selling point here. The front cover boasts four, with two more waiting inside. These dinosaur shapes are anchored by variously colored ribbons, and each fits, like a puzzle piece, into a page featuring a couplet that names and describes it as well as into a final page spread that includes all the dinos, prompting readers to pick a favorite. Unfortunately, moving the dinosaur pieces around results rather quickly in a hopeless and frustrating tangle. Take away the ability to play with the pieces, and the whole experience rapidly falls apart. The rhyming couplets often come across as awkward, if not insipid (“Triceratops was easy to spot / because of the three pointy horns it’s got”), and the illustrations, apart from the dinosaur pieces, are just generic background scenes.
While removable dinosaur pieces connected with ribbons might seem like a good idea in theory, in practice, readers wind up with one big dinosaur knot and some thwarted tots. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-69076-8
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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
Still, this young boy’s imagination is a powerful force for helping him deal with life, something that should be true for...
Oliver, of first-day-of-school alligator fame, is back, imagining adventures and still struggling to find balance between introversion and extroversion.
“When Oliver found his egg…” on the playground, mint-green backgrounds signifying Oliver’s flight into fancy slowly grow larger until they take up entire spreads; Oliver’s creature, white and dinosaurlike with orange polka dots, grows larger with them. Their adventures include sharing treats, sailing the seas and going into outer space. A classmate’s yell brings him back to reality, where readers see him sitting on top of a rock. Even considering Schmid’s scribbly style, readers can almost see the wheels turning in his head as he ponders the girl and whether or not to give up his solitary play. “But when Oliver found his rock… // Oliver imagined many adventures // with all his friends!” This last is on a double gatefold that opens to show the children enjoying the creature’s slippery curves. A final wordless spread depicts all the children sitting on rocks, expressions gleeful, wondering, waiting, hopeful. The illustrations, done in pastel pencil and digital color, again make masterful use of white space and page turns, although this tale is not nearly as funny or tongue-in-cheek as Oliver and His Alligator (2013), nor is its message as clear and immediately accessible to children.
Still, this young boy’s imagination is a powerful force for helping him deal with life, something that should be true for all children but sadly isn’t. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-7573-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
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