DINO-WRESTLING

Wheeler, that rhyming dino-sports enthusiast, is back, this time with a survey of wrestling styles.

Leaving no mat unexplored, this encompasses everything from folkstyle wrestling to Greco-Roman and sumo and everything in between. Combining spot-on rhythms and rhymes with a narrative style that is akin to a sports announcer, the verses fly by as the dinosaurs gather to watch and participate in the Dino-Wrestling Jamboree. Each style of wrestling gets its own match, with the text often telling a bit about the style, its rules and/or its equipment. During the lucha libre event, the verse even includes a few Spanish vocabulary words, though, as with other wrestling terms, they are not defined in context: “The crowd goes loco—shouts and boos. / Ouch! That hit will leave a bruise.” Every detail is in Gott’s brightly colored cartoon illustrations—from the different uniforms the participants wear down to the little guy who holds the sign up with the dinosaurs’ species (handy, since Wheeler often shortens them) and wrestling style. They teem with action and testosterone. The text ends on a disturbing note, however—the WWD pro tag-team event turns into a riot, with the participants and fans brawling enough to bring down the tents.

Young wrestlers will find all the action and moves they are seeking within these pages, and the dinosaurs and rhymes are an added, entertaining bonus.