A sweet story told in simple rhymes that young children would likely enjoy.
Cobb and Castagno’s cute, colorful picture book illustrates the bond between a brother and sister.
Daniel Dinosaur has just turned 4, and his favorite pastime is playing hide-and-seek with his younger sister, Sue. One day, his parents ask him to watch her while they’re away, and he loses track of her. The book then follows Daniel as he looks for her in trees, pokes his head into a lake (where a friendly large-toothed fish lives) and even searches a volcano. Once Sue realizes she has scared her brother, she comes out of hiding and explains that she thought they were still playing. From then on, they stick even closer together, which is adorably portrayed in a cave painting of the two of them playing. This will be a good book for young siblings or for children who have a little brother or sister on the way. Danny and Sue play together and care about each other without being too sappy, and since their parents are absent for most of the book, the reader gets the sense that they can rely on each other. Danny’s search for Sue is humorous, and it’s rendered with lively drawings. The parents’ absence gives Danny his first taste of adult responsibility, but the drama of losing Sue is so brief that it shouldn’t be frightening, even to sensitive children. The light, whimsical drawings maintain a sense of fun. The dinosaurs, however, are a bit underdrawn; most kids love dinosaurs, can recognize different types and would likely appreciate more detail. However, that certainly doesn’t diminish the overall charm of the story.
A sweet story told in simple rhymes that young children would likely enjoy.Pub Date: Dec. 22, 2012
ISBN: 978-1424317127
Page Count: 40
Publisher: 10 to 2 Children's Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet reminder that love is best measured in actions.
Even when well-intended plans go awry, sometimes “I love you” is plastered all over one’s face.
Tiny T. Rex wants to make the perfect valentine for friend Pointy, a stegosaurus. It’s a noble ideal, but perfection is more elusive than the little theropod realized. That’s the premise of this charming board book that succinctly celebrates love, friendship, aspiration, perseverance, limitations, and the notion that it’s the thought that counts—especially when it’s clearly reflected in effort. Like its protagonist, this book is small, but it’s rich in value and works on every level. The artwork has an elegant simplicity that beautifully balances color, personality, and clever detail. A panel of Tiny designing the card in chalk on a blackboard, for example, reveals the scale of the little dino’s intentions: a giant heart, ribbons, smaller hearts dangling from springs, heart-shaped balloons, and fireworks, all much larger than Tiny. The project is clearly a labor of love: Tiny sweats, tugging a bucket of paint—“Pointy’s favorite color!”—but the bucket spills on the artist, not the valentine. Trying to make the card “extra fancy,” Tiny is covered in glitter. Tiny rips, snips, and rerips, trying to make the perfect heart; misspells Pointy; and glues springs and hearts all over everything. When Tiny apologizes for having no valentine for Pointy, Pointy recognizes immediately that the perfect valentine is a friend like Tiny.
A sweet reminder that love is best measured in actions. (Board book. 1-5)Pub Date: Dec. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4521-8489-0
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Young dino fans will enjoy it, though their grown-ups may not.
What sounds did dinosaurs make? We don't really know.
Litton suggests some possibilities while introducing sophisticated vocabulary in a board-book format. Five dinosaurs are featured: Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Pterodactyl, Diplodocus, and Triceratops. For each species there is a brief description that highlights its distinctive features, followed by an invitation to hear and repeat the dinosaur's sound. There is no explanation for why scientists think T. Rex “roared,” Stegosaurus “howled,” Pterodactyl “screeched,” Diplodocus “growled,” or Triceratops “grunted.” The author tries to avoid sexism, carefully referring to two of the creatures as “she,” but those two are also described in stereotypically less-ferocious terms than the male dinos. The touch point on the Pterodactyl is a soft section of wing. Readers are told that Diplodocus “loved splashing in swamps,” and the instruction is to “tickle her tummy to hear her growl,” implying that this giant creature was gentle and friendly. None of this may matter to young paleontologists, who will enjoy finding the tactile section on each creature that triggers the sound. Despite extensive directions in small print, most parents and libraries won't bother to change the battery secured by a tiny hex screw, but while the battery lasts, the book will get lots of play.
Young dino fans will enjoy it, though their grown-ups may not. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-58925-207-3
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
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