All of the dinos, even T. Rex, sport friendly smiles that will undoubtedly be mirrored on the faces of any toddler in visual...
From the late, great Taback, a half-dozen burly dinos on sturdy foldout squares.
The latest—though evidently not the last, despite the author’s passing at the end of 2011—in a series of animal board books follows its predecessors in hiding each creature behind successive foldouts with clues in large letters: “Who am I? / I have a long tail… / and a long neck. / I’m a BRACHIOSAURUS!” Ultimately unfolding to four times its trim size, each portrait poses a spotted, brightly colored, simply drawn and appropriately monumental-looking dinosaur in a minimally detailed setting backed with strongly contrasting color fields. The polysyllabic punchlines make the guessing game even more fun.
All of the dinos, even T. Rex, sport friendly smiles that will undoubtedly be mirrored on the faces of any toddler in visual range. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-60905-212-6
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Blue Apple
Review Posted Online: April 17, 2012
Amiable if slight.
In a text that can be sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” a young dinosaur plays with other prehistoric friends and gets ready for bed.
In this companion piece to Twinkle, Twinkle Unicorn (2019), each double-page spread features a friendly, green theropod with rosy cheeks watching pink pterosaurs fly, using a sauropod’s tail as a sliding board, and watching volcanoes explode in the night sky. As the sun sets, the dinosaur yawns and heads back home to two larger dinosaurs, one pink with eyelashes and one blue without, who appear to be mama and papa dinosaur respectively (did color stereotyping based on gender exist 65 million years ago? And why isn’t the protagonist dinosaur mauve?). Waring has arguably created the most benign and affable dinosaurs possible, with their perpetual smiles, rounded horns and teeth, oversized eyes, and brightly colored hides. Weighing in at only a slight 16 pages, the book runs through two modified verses of the classic, and the first scans quite fluidly. The second stanza feels a little forced to make it fit into the bedtime theme: “Twinkle, twinkle dinosaur, / the day is done. / It’s time to snore.”
Amiable if slight. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 28, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3975-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Sweet and practical holiday advice delivered by two darling dinos.
Tiny T. Rex shares the top six tricks of treating for those wanting to become Halloween Treat-masters.
“The very best part of Halloween is the Treats,” the book opens. “It is a mathematically proven fact.” From there, Tiny T. Rex and pal Pointy, who declare themselves masters of treating, share their tricks, which range from what to wear (with a caveat to avoid wearing multiple costumes at once) to being sure to express “thank you” (even frightful creatures have manners, after all) to the “greatest trick” of all—sharing treats. Stutzman’s play on trick-or-treating, coupled with original words like Nom-bies and Crawly-creeps, give this board book a refreshingly original take on familiar Halloween themes. Fleck’s illustrations depict the dinos as endearing and playful. Tiny T. Rex has two pointy, nonintimidating teeth and a diminutive stature, and Pointy’s ever so pointy back plates are incorporated into its costume as a unicorn with a rainbow-colored tail. And who can resist a dinosaur wearing “mitties” over its hands? The brightly colored illustrations are visually appealing, and the details give readers plenty to observe. From showing gratitude for a cucumber “treat” handed out from a basket of veggies to sharing their haul with a homebound friend, these dinosaurs are adorable in more ways than one.
Sweet and practical holiday advice delivered by two darling dinos. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4521-8490-6
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© 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.
bookshelf
