A fun fantasy sure to be enjoyed by the dino-obsessed.
An imaginative young Japanese child receives a birthday gift that any kid would covet—a dinosaur suit!
The child wears the suit to the park to show the other children, but they are frightened and scatter. This is when the dinosaurs arrive. They show the child a secret tunnel from the park to their home in Dinosaur Land. Many varieties of dinosaur make an appearance on Herbivore Island to play, including the Iguanodon, the Brachiosaurus, and Pterosaur taxis. However, the carnivores are not far away. When a “pack of Tyrannosauruses” heads to Herbivore Island, the child comes up with a plan to mobilize the dinosaurs and fight the carnivores away. From the storyline to the child’s suit, this (uncredited) English translation of the Japanese Boku ga kyoryu data toki is reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are, though less enchanting. The busy illustrations offer multiple perspectives of Dinosaur Land, giving readers much to explore. Both the friendly herbivores and the villainous carnivores are depicted foraging and hunting, respectively, placing their different diets in stark contrast. Mild violence is employed as the herbivores fight to protect themselves. The final double-page spread offers a charming twist when the child emerges from Dinosaur Land and the other dinosaurs are revealed to be other children in their own dino suits.
A fun fantasy sure to be enjoyed by the dino-obsessed. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-927018-88-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simply Read
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
This frenetic ode to fatherhood is predictable fare but may please series fans.
It’s time to look for the elusive Daddysaurus.
In this latest installment in the seemingly never-ending series about a group of diverse kids attempting to trap mythical creatures, the youngsters are now on the lookout for a big mauve dinosaur with an emblazoned D on his stomach and a superhero cape. The fast-moving Daddysaurus is always on the go; he will be difficult to catch. Armed with blueprints of possible ideas, the kids decide which traps to set. As in previous works, ones of the sticky variety seem popular. They cover barbells with fly paper (Daddysaurus like to exercise) and spread glue on the handle of a shovel (Daddysaurus also likes to garden). One clever trick involves tempting Daddysaurus with a drawing of a hole, taped to the wall, because he fixes everything that breaks. Daddysaurus is certainly engaged in the children’s lives, not a workaholic or absent, but he does fall into some standard tropes associated with fathers. The rhyming quatrains stumble at times but for the most part bounce along. Overall, though, text and art feel somewhat formulaic and likely will tempt only devotees of the series. The final page of the book (after Daddysaurus is caught with love) has a space for readers to write a note or draw a picture of their own Daddysaurus. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
This frenetic ode to fatherhood is predictable fare but may please series fans. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-72826-618-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, if oft-told, story.
A plush toy rabbit bonds with a boy and watches him grow into adulthood.
The boy receives the blue bunny for his birthday and immediately becomes attached to it. Unbeknownst to him, the ungendered bunny is sentient; it engages in dialogue with fellow toys, giving readers insight into its thoughts. The bunny's goal is to have grand adventures when the boy grows up and no longer needs its company. The boy spends many years playing imaginatively with the bunny, holding it close during both joyous and sorrowful times and taking it along on family trips. As a young man, he marries, starts a family, and hands over the beloved toy to his toddler-aged child in a crib. The bunny's epiphany—that he does not need to wait for great adventures since all his dreams have already come true in the boy's company—is explicitly stated in the lengthy text, which is in many ways similar to The Velveteen Rabbit (1922). The illustrations, which look hand-painted but were digitally created, are moderately sentimental with an impressionistic dreaminess (one illustration even includes a bunny-shaped cloud in the sky) and a warm glow throughout. The depiction of a teenage male openly displaying his emotions—hugging his beloved childhood toy for example—is refreshing. All human characters present as White expect for one of the boy’s friends who is Black.
A sweet, if oft-told, story. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72825-448-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
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