Young dinosaur fans will like this solo debut for Weinberg a bunch, bunch, bunch.
An exploding volcano, an unseen cliff, flying predators and other hazards challenge a dimwitted young T. Rex with a precious burden and a monosyllabic vocabulary.
Coming upon a large spotted ovoid, Rex’s delighted “Egg? Egg. Egg!” turns to “Run. Run! RUN!” when a volcano rumbles nearby. Serial, madcap mishaps ensue as Rex struggles to carry his find back to the nest and safety—only to trip at the last moment and send it flying. But then, seeing it lying on the ground undamaged (aside from a large crack, there from the beginning), Rex entertains a new notion: “Rock?” Using garish colors and a thick, red crayon for the scribbly linework, Weinberg crafts a mad cartoonist’s vision of a prehistoric setting that, seemingly on the verge of shaking apart at any moment, ratchets Rex’s flight into a giddy scramble. In contrast to Bob Shea’s fierce little scenery-chewer (Dinosaur vs. Bedtime, etc.), Rex is drawn as a comical figure with a dopey expression and big buck teeth. Still, nature will out. In the end, a smaller dino’s arrival offers Rex the prospect of a new “[f]riend!” Stomach rumbling like that volcano in the background, Rex decides instead that it’s time for some “[l]unch! Lunch! Lunch!”
Young dinosaur fans will like this solo debut for Weinberg a bunch, bunch, bunch. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4814-0308-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Empathetic reassurance for both young perfectionists and budding artists.
Oh, how Angel loves dinosaurs!
Inspired by a trip to the museum, the young aspiring artist knows exactly what he wants to draw. He gathers his supplies, consults his toy dinos, and starts drawing. But what Angel puts down on paper looks nothing like the dinosaurs in his head—a lament that will be familiar to artists the world over. And the more he tries, the more disappointed he gets. “Trying to fix the mistakes makes them worse!” he sighs, and he becomes reluctant to draw anything. But both his mothers are immensely supportive. Mama cuddles him and tells him art isn’t about being perfect, while Mom suggests that, like a paleontologist, he should consider his discarded pictures and look for some “good finds.” Eventually, Angel does just that, combining different elements from the various drawings—an interesting scale pattern, an eye-catching claw—into a single work of art. While Angel acknowledges that his creation isn’t perfect, he’s content with it and proud of his hard work. Skillfully acknowledging that frustration and perceived failures are part of the artistic process, Giron showcases an ever-increasing pile of drawings, deemed imperfect until Angel sees the beauty in them. Angel’s own images are rendered in a childlike hand, while the rest of the illustrations are more stylized and richly hued. Angel and his parents are brown-skinned.
Empathetic reassurance for both young perfectionists and budding artists. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9781250874375
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
A tongue-in-cheek tribute to the spirit, not to mention the occasionally life-saving value, of sharing.
A class outing to the deep past nearly ends in disaster after a flying reptile steals a student’s lunchbox.
Riding a next-generation version of the Magic School Bus that not only travels in time but also sprouts very tall legs when it arrives, the students and teacher are so enthralled by the prehistoric setting rolling past that they don’t notice when one child tumbles out. Fortunately, the peckish local dinosaurs prove more willing to feed on the reclaimed lunchbox’s contents than its owner—at least just long enough to allow a last-second rescue. Unlike the classic field trip led by Ms. Frizzle, this one is more recreational than informational in character, but young readers shouldn’t have much trouble either following the storyline or identifying the brightly hued, wide-eyed dinos chowing down on pretzels, pizza, and other culinary treats in Hare’s wordless scenes. The students, at first anonymously swaddled in body suits and dark glasses, reveal themselves to be a racially diverse bunch at the end as they walk off, generously passing items from their own lunches to their errant classmate. Fans of this tale should be sure to embark on other journeys with Hare; previous outings include Field Trip to the Moon (2019) and Field Trip to the Ocean Deep (2020).
A tongue-in-cheek tribute to the spirit, not to mention the occasionally life-saving value, of sharing. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780823459575
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson/Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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