Rousing dino adventure with enough tooth-to-claw fighting for an exciting climax.
A dino yo ho ho and away we go!
Having already covered cars, trucks, and rockets (Dinosaur Rocket, 2015, etc.), Dale ensnares preschooler’s hearts and minds with yet another irresistible combination: dinos + pirates. In this latest edition to the series, the scaly scalawags take to the high seas. They’re on the hunt for booty, and they’ve a map to lead them on. Told in rhythmic, not-quite-rhyming language, the simple storyline is punctuated by context-appropriate interjections repeated in threes: “Scrub! Scrub! Scrub!” (as the dinos swab the decks) or “Heave ho! Heave ho! Heave ho!” (as they haul a treasure chest out of the ground). Little listeners will certainly join in with scurvy aplomb. Things take a turn for the interesting when a band of scavenging pirates (appropriately cast as a pack of “rotten raptors”) boards our heroes’ vessel, eager to nick the hard-sought gold. A great battle ensues, and through clever trickery the raptors are defeated. Great merriment follows. While there is little here that is particularly original, Dale’s vibrant and elaborately detailed pencil-and-watercolor illustrations breathe new life into these long-extinct rogues. This is a book that knows its audience and will suit the needs of pirate and dinosaur fans alike.
Rousing dino adventure with enough tooth-to-claw fighting for an exciting climax. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9330-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
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
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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