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THE DINOSAUR TAMER

Name: THE DINOSAUR TAMER
Author: Carol Greathouse
ISBN: 978-0-525-47866-9

by Carol Greathouse and illustrated by John Shroades ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2009

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Greathouse takes readers back to the Really Old West for an outsized dustup between T.Rex, “the rip-roarin’est, snip-snortin’est reptilian that ever did stomp the earth,” and young Rocky, a dino tamer able to rope even Stegosaurus with his thousand-foot, crocodile-hide lariat since he was he was “knee-high to a Pterodactyl egg.” Schroades depicts the seesaw, continent-spanning contest in suitably big scenes featuring broad, rocky landscapes, plenty of brightly patterned dinos and a grinning, moon-faced lad topped by a notched Stetson. A map that stretches from the Mississippi River to the Pacific is dotted with red T.Rex tracks showing where the battle wended, with such landmarks as the Grand Canyon and Crater Lake (both created in the tussle) marked. By the end Rocky has his new cayuse munching on a zucchini and “docile as a fresh-hatched platypus pup,” ready to ride out into cowpoke legend. Yessiree, it’s the finest dino-meets-cowboy yarn since Betty G. Birney’s Tyrannosaurus Tex, illustrated by John O’Brien (1994). (Picture book. 6-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-525-47866-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2009

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S DINOSAURS & PREHISTORIC CREATURES

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HOW I BECAME A PIRATE

by Melinda Long & illustrated by David Shannon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2003

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Thanks to parrot-toting Braidbeard and his gloriously disreputable crew, a lad discovers the ups and downs of a pirate’s life in this rousing mini-epic. His mom and dad busy on another part of the beach, young Jeremy happily joins a band of hook-handed, eye-patched, snaggle-toothed pirates aboard their ship, learning pirate table manners (none), enjoying a game of nautical soccer until a shark eats the ball, then happily retiring without having to brush teeth, or even don pajamas. But then Jeremy learns that pirates don’t get tucked in, or get bedtime stories, and as for good night kisses—Avast! Worse yet, no one offers comfort when a storm hits. So, giving over the pirate’s life, Jeremy shows the crew where to bury its treasure (his backyard), and bids them goodbye. Shannon outfits Braidbeard’s leering, pop-eyed lot in ragged but colorful pirate dress, and gives his young ruffian-in-training a belt and bandanna to match. This isn’t likely to turn pirate wannabees into landlubbers, but it will inspire a chorus of yo-ho-hos. (Picture book. 6-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2003

ISBN: 0-15-201848-4

Page Count: 44

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2003

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE CASE OF THE SLIDING SPACESHIP
by Melinda Long ; illustrated by Monica Wyrick

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW I BECAME A PIRATE
by Melinda Long & illustrated by David Shannon & developed by Oceanhouse Media

- BOOK REVIEW
PIRATES DON’T CHANGE DIAPERS
by Melinda Long & illustrated by David Shannon

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ZATHURA

by Chris Van Allsburg & illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 2002

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A trite, knock-off sequel to Jumanji (1981). The “Jumanji” box distracts Walter Budwing away from beating up on his little brother Danny, but it’s Danny who discovers the Zathura board inside—and in no time, Earth is far behind, a meteor has smashed through the roof, and a reptilian Zyborg pirate is crawling through the hole. Each throw of the dice brings an ominous new development, portrayed in grainy, penciled freeze frames featuring sculptured-looking figures in constricted, almost claustrophobic settings. The angles of view are, as always, wonderfully dramatic, but not only is much of the finer detail that contributed to Jumanji’s astonishing realism missing, the spectacular damage being done to the Budwings’ house as the game progresses is, by and large, only glimpsed around the picture edges. Naturally, having had his bacon repeatedly saved by his younger sibling’s quick thinking, once Walter falls through a black hole to a time preceding the game’s start, his attitude toward Danny undergoes a sudden, radical transformation. Van Allsburg’s imagination usually soars right along with his accomplished art—but here, both are just running in place. (Picture book. 6-8)