In a market teeming with terrible reptiles, this book earns itself a big di-NO.
Here be dinosaurs.
When adapting a song to a picture-book format, the source material should have the same natural rise and fall of action as a literary text. Some songs take to their newfound formats like a fish to water, while others, like Berkner’s here, are left gasping for air. Working a plot onto the plotless lyrics of the titular song, pictures and added dialogue send five little dinosaurs on a hike up a mountain. The cartoony crew stomps, stops to eat, climbs, and goes to sleep in a mountaintop cave before running heck-for-leather back down to avoid a volcanic demise. Plenty of dialogue assists the text, though the lyrics of the song provide the story’s backbone. Readers already familiar with the music will enjoy the lively adaptation, but for new fans, the lure of dinosaurs may not be enough to sustain their interest. Much of the heavy lifting is performed by Clanton, whose wide-eyed, perky dinosaurs attempt to hang a plot on Berkner’s upbeat, repetitive lyrics, with limited success. Though there is initial lip service paid to the repeated assertion that the dinosaurs “make the earth flat,” depiction of the dinosaurs on the lumpy incline of the mountain will puzzle readers. Oddly, for a book so reliant on familiarity with Berkner’s song, no CD or online link to the music is included (though “We Are the Dinosaurs” sheet music is printed on the book’s back cover, where it will likely be inaccessible to library users).
In a market teeming with terrible reptiles, this book earns itself a big di-NO. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6463-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
