Review - Santiago's Dinosaurios

Santiago's Dinosaurios
by Mariana Ríos Ramírez
illustrated by Udayana Lugo
Date: 2022
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Santiago finds a way to connect to his classmates--through dinosaurios!

Santiago is new to the United States, and he doesn't speak English. On his first day of school, how will he connect with his peers? Santiago learns that even when you don't speak the same language, some interests are universal.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Moving to a new place can be tough, especially when you don't understand the language. Santiago and his family have just moved to the United States from Mexico. He doesn't speak much English, so he finds it hard to communicate with his classmates. But he loves dinosaurs... and he soon finds a way to use his passion as a way to break the ice with the other kids.

This well-written story is highlighted by delightful illustrations that clearly show Santiago's emotions as he tries to navigate his first day in a new school.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book. For another cute title with a similar theme, check out Aidan Cassie's The Word for Friend.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - Dino Yoga

Dino Yoga
by Lorena Pajalunga
illustrated by Anna Láng
Date: 2021
Publisher: Happy Fox Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Dino Yoga is a fun and colorful guide that teaches young children how to do yoga with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions that explain how to perform basic yoga poses. With each yoga position is also a kid-friendly tip on how to better handle their emotions and personalities, including how to relax, how to focus, how to be calmer, and more.

Join Master Diplo and his students, Rex, Raptor, Trixie, and Dactyla, as they guide kids step-by-step through a variety of yoga poses and meditative exercises, including Tree Pose, Peaceful Warrior Pose, Plank Pose, Camel Pose, and more. These practices will help kids connect with themselves, calm their minds, and feel great! See how yoga helps each young dinosaur understand and manage the different emotions they experience, from anger and the inability to focus to overactivity and anxiety. Each pose builds onto the next so children can easily move through a yoga sequence before it closes with a meditative practice to complete the flow. These actions help children manage their emotions in a healthy and mindful way.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a great idea for a non-fiction picture book. Unfortunately, it commits one of the biggest sins when it comes to teaching a new skill to young readers: It's confusing.

The book starts by introducing us to four young dinosaurs, each with a quirk that gives them a bit of trouble. Rex has anger issues, for example. And Trixie sometimes loses focus. So they could all benefit from yoga, right?

The illustrations are adorable, colourful, and very appealing, which makes the book all the more frustrating when it comes to the actual instructions. I'm an adult, and while I'm no expert, I've taken a few yoga classes. So I should be able to follow directions like this. But some of the instructions aren't clear. Even worse, sometimes the instructions don't match the illustrations! In one spot, the order of the movements is different in the text and pictures. In another spot, the text refers to the right while the illustration shows the left.

And that might not be such a problem if these didn't seem like very advanced poses. Frustration over not being able to figure out what the book is talking about added to the frustration of falling over while trying to execute some of these movements doesn't seem like an activity conducive to calm. (Take, for example, the Sitting Hand Over Toe Pose. Basically, you stand on your right leg with your right arm in the air, grab the toes of your left leg with the other hand while extending the leg out in front of you, then lower yourself so your butt is resting on your right heel... and then somehow stand back up, all without losing your balance. I can't even accomplish that one in my imagination!)

This might be okay for kids whose parents are yogis themselves and can explain how to do the poses (including the Mountain Pose, which was mentioned but never properly explained). But I'm afraid this could cause quite a bit of frustration for those who are new to yoga. And that kind of defeats the purpose of the book.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.67 out of 5

Review - Kitties on Dinosaurs

Kitties on Dinosaurs
by Michael Slack
Date: 2020
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A daring, dinosaur-climbing adventure leads to hilarious kitty hijinks in this adorable tale of perseverance

They're adorable! They're daring! They're kitties who love to climb things! And they won't give up until they've achieved their ultimate climbing dream: scaling the dinosaurs on nearby Dinosaur Island. The level-headed narrator warns the kitties that the dinosaurs look hungry, that their teeth are super big, that things look terribly bleak if they go through with climbing the dinosaurs. But these kitties have a plan. And then another plan. And then another...well, you get the idea. Can these fair kitties conquer their biggest challenge yet and avoid cat-astrophe?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm not the audience for this, as I'm neither four years old nor a cat lover. For those demographics, this book might be more entertaining.

See, there's a trio of kitties that climb things. They want to climb everything... and that means braving the dinosaurs on Dinosaur Island. So they get in their mobile litter box and head over there to see if they can climb some dinos. Each of their plans is thwarted until, finally, there's a surprise twist. And then an even bigger twist.

Unfortunately, I didn't really care about these stupid—albeit tenacious—cats. The illustrations are cute, which saved this book from being a complete dud for me.

If you love cats and dinosaurs, you might enjoy this. If you're neutral about both, you might not be that enthused about this particular title.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Dino-Thanksgiving

Dino-Thanksgiving
by Lisa Wheeler
illustrated by Barry Gott
Date: 2020
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Lisa Wheeler's bouncy, rhyming text and Barry Gott's energetic illustrations invite readers to celebrate a dino-style Thankgiving!

Follow along as dinos travel over the river and through the woods to join together with family. They enjoy favorite activities, including a corn maze, a televised parade with giant balloon creations, and of course a football game! The dinos share in not one but two feasts--one for the carnivores and another for the veggie-saurs. Join in the fun as the dinos find much to be thankful for on this special holiday!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Last year, some of my Thanksgiving picks were rather off-putting. They tended to focus mostly on the food, and on eating habits that verged on eating disorders. So I was a little hesitant going into this book about dinosaurs having thanksgiving. Was I in for another orgy of gluttony and greed?

Thankfully, the answer is no. Dino-Thanksgiving is a charming book about a world of dinosaurs celebrating one of their favourite holidays. There's food, of course, but there's also fun, family, friends, and football. The chaos of the kids' table is represented well, as is that one guest who just wants to eat. One thing I really liked was that there were two major dinners in this neighbourhood: one for the carnivores and one for the herbivores. But that doesn't stop them from all getting together for games and a bonfire.

The rhyming text is fairly strong. The illustrations are amusing and colourful, with lots of cute touches throughout. And the message of community, family, and thanksgiving comes through loud and clear.

Strangely, a book about hungry dinosaurs is one of the strongest Thanksgiving picture books I've read. It's sure to appeal to dinosaur fans, but those who are looking for strong holiday books might like it, too.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.71 out of 5

Review - We Will Rock Our Classmates

We Will Rock Our Classmates (Penelope #2)
by Ryan T. Higgins
Date: 2020
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

Readers will twist and shout for this headbanging companion to the #1 New York Times best-selling We Don't Eat Our Classmates.

Penelope is a T. rex, and she's very good at it. She also likes to rock out on guitar! With the school talent show coming up, Penelope can't wait to perform for her classmates. But sharing who you are can be show-stoppingly scary, especially when it's not what people expect. Will Penelope get by with a little help from her friends?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

We Will Rock Our Classmates is just as cute as We Don't Eat Our Classmates. This time, Penelope the T. rex is getting ready for the school talent show. But when it comes time to rehearse, she freezes and loses all her confidence. She's just a T. rex, after all, and they don't rock 'n' roll.

Or do they?

With some reassurance from her dad, Penelope comes to value herself and realize that, even though she's a T. rex, she's a lot of other wonderful things as well.

The pictures are adorable. Higgins has created a character that readers will empathize with and want to cheer for. The same touches of humour that lit up the first book can also be found here.

I'd recommend this one to readers who enjoyed the first book about Penelope, as well as those who are looking for empowering books about having faith in yourself and your talents... whatever they might be.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex

Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex
by Eva Chen
illustrated by Matthew Rivera
Date: 2020
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Instagram superstar and New York Times bestselling author of Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes Eva Chen embarks on an all-new picture book venture of jurassic proportions, vibrantly brought to life by Matthew Rivera's rainbow watercolors.

Dinosaurs are awesome. Unicorns are, too. So what happens when you combine the best parts of each?

Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex!

Join Roxy in all her sassy, steak-loving, glittery glory as she learns about the importance of staying true to yourself, celebrating your differences, and finding friends who love you for who you are.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Aside from the colour-popping illustrations and the nice little rundown of various dinosaurs in the back, I'm not sure what this book has going for it. After the initial gimmick of a dinosaur crossed with a unicorn, there's not much else. Roxy has trouble fitting in because she's not like all the other dinosaurs at her school. Apparently, her mom was getting frisky with her food and got pregnant with... wait a minute. It's probably best not to overthink this one. Anyway, Roxy is the only dinosaur-unicorn hybrid... or so she thinks.

I'm not sure what the message is here. It's not quite "be yourself", because that just led to loneliness. It's not "there's a friend out there for everyone", because what are the chances of finding a second creature that shouldn't exist in the first place? Okay, the premise is kind of funny, but it doesn't really go anywhere.

The idea is creative. But it's not quite enough to sustain a whole picture book (at least, not the way it's done here).

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - T. Rex Time Machine: Dinos in De-Nile

T. Rex Time Machine: Dinos in De-Nile
by Jared Chapman
Date: 2019
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 44
Format: e-book
Source: library

Two T. Rexes are whisked away by their time machine to ancient Egypt, where King Tut mistakes them for Sobek, god of the Nile. They are treated to glorious feasts and magnificent tours. But when the aliens land—they're in the middle of constructing the pyramids—and expose the supposed gods as mere dinosaurs, everyone's mad. Will the dinosaurs escape? This laugh-out-loud romp through time and space is perfect for storytime, bedtime, read-alouds, and guaranteed giggles!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Let's just cut right to the chase: this is nowhere near as strong as its predecessor. The joke is weak, the story is juvenile, and I didn't really care what happened to the dinosaurs. The whole thing with King Tut reading comic books and the aliens building the pyramids and busting the god-impersonating dinosaurs with a stack of Polaroids is just silly.

I wouldn't recommend this. Readers who loved the first book might want to check this one out, but I'd recommend just sticking with T. Rex Time Machine if you're looking for a book that'll give you a few giggles.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Pterapunzel

Pterapunzel (Once Before Time)
by Christy Webster
illustrated by Gladys Jose
Date: 2020
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Pterapunzel loves to sing, but a mean witch tries to keep her from sharing her songs! From Epic! Originals, Once Before Time is a playful board book series of fairy tales reimagined from a time long ago . . . with dinosaurs!

In this prehistoric retelling of the classic story, Pterapunzel is held captive by a witch who wants Pterapunzel’s beautiful songs all to herself. When the unthinkable happens, Pterapunzel must find the strength to fly and be reunited with her bagpiper friend!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Oh, dear. I think this is the weakest installment in this series yet. Unfortunately, the first book, Cinderella Rex, was so much stronger. Subsequent books, when compared with the first, are bound to come up short.

Pterapunzel is the story of a pterodactyl named Pterapunzel who is captured by an evil witch for no apparent reason other than that the witch likes to listen to the girl sing and wants the pleasure all for herself. The witch casts a spell to make Pterapunzel's hair grow into a rope that can be climbed. One day, a prince happens upon the tower and hears Pterapunzel's singing. He climbs up her hair and they have a jam session. At the end of that, he tells her he's going to go get a ladder so she can escape the tower. But the witch sees him leaving. She climbs Pterapunzel's hair, then cuts it off, leaving them both trapped. But Pterapunzel realizes she can fly, so she escapes, leaving the witch in the tower. After meeting up with the prince, she sings (and he plays his bagpipes) and everyone lives happily ever after (except the trapped witch, I'm guessing).

There are a few nods to Disney's version of the story here. The witch looks an awful lot like Mother Gothel (down to the curly hair and hooded cape). Pterapunzel's even shown holding a frying pan. But so many of the better elements of the story--ones Disney kept in its version--are stripped out. Pterapunzel has zero backstory; we don't even know if she has parents. The prince doesn't have a brush with death (or blindness, as in the original) and get saved by the heroine. The inciting incident involving a plant doesn't even exist... which makes the witch's captivity of Pterapunzel seem really random and odd. She just finds a girl with a pretty voice and tosses her in a tower as her own personal radio? Okay...

The illustrations are basic and colourful, but not especially memorable. I haven't really liked the pictures in these books since the first one.

The overall premise of this series is really cute (fairy tales with dinosaurs!) but the last two installments have been pretty weak. They read like they're meant for very young children, and though I realize that they are board books, I didn't get that talked-down-to feeling from Cinderella Rex. This book might be fine for toddlers and preschoolers, but I don't know if anyone older than that is going to be too impressed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - All About Allosaurus

All About Allosaurus
by Greg Gormley
illustrated by Dean Gray
Date: 2020
Publisher: QEB Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A fun story that introduces children to different dinosaurs, with a light message on inclusion and friendship.

Allosaurus is fed up. All anyone ever talks about is T. rex. T. rex this and T. rex that. Well he thinks it's his turn now—he's going to write a book all about him. Allosaurus sets to work, but soon everyone wants to be in his book. With a page for everyone, there might not be room for Allosaurus after all. And just what will happen when T. rex finds out she isn't included?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This was surprisingly bad. I thought the premise sounded really cute, and the cover sucked me in. While the premise might've been okay if executed differently, and the illustrations are fun, the rest of the book is a bit of a mess.

The main issue I had was with the writing. It's all over the place, and it's terribly distracting. The story is told by Allosaurus, and he's writing a book. So he's narrating in the first person, and that includes his dialogue (which isn't set off by quotation marks). The other dinosaurs' speech is set off by quotation marks. Then we've got a slightly different font for the stuff that's actually going into Allosaurus's book. Confused yet?

I'm assuming from the parents' note at the back that the other dinosaurs are supposed to be selfish because they want to be in Allosaurus's book. But if Allosaurus is tired of hearing all about T. rex, it stands to reason that maybe the other dinosaurs feel the same way. So why is it selfish for them to want to be in a book and not for Allosaurus? The self-deprecating compliment-fishing going on at the end is kind of off-putting, too. And I really don't like the way Allosaurus finally wrote about himself in the book. Why? Because it doesn't talk about him in his own right, but in comparison with T. rex. Teaching children that their traits are only valid in comparison to someone else's seems questionable at best.

The pictures are cute, but the writing made me want to pull my hair out:

"Can I be in it, Allosaurus?"
No, Triceratops. It's all about ME.
"But I'm your top best friend."
Oh, alright then.
"Yay!"
Triceratops is terrifically strong.
She has a fabulous collar, three horns on her head and is very good at eating her vegetables.
Now, where to begin about me, hmm...

Maybe dinosaurs aren't supposed to be good at grammar and paragraph structure. This one wasn't, in any case.

Thank you to NetGalley and QEB Publishing for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Dyno Dinosaur Family Christmas Adventures

Dyno Dinosaur Family Christmas Adventures
by Sharida McKenzie
illustrated by Tatiana Minina
Date: 2018
Publisher: Sharida McKenzie
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 46
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Let your child’s imagination run wild in this immersive and delightful collection of Christmas short story picture books starring the Dyno Dinosaur Family! Experience the Christmas spirit with the Dyno family as they laugh, play and celebrate together all while helping Santa and Mrs. Claus prepare presents for all the little girls and boys. The stories and illustrations magnificently capture the warmth and magic of the holidays. The dinosaur lover in your family will treasure this creative twist on Christmas! Perfect for kids ages 0-6.

Titles include:
1. Santa and the Flying Dinosaurs
2. Dyno Kids Visit Santa’s Workshop
3. Decorating the Christmas Tree with the Dyno Family
4. Dyno Family Snow Day

(synopsis from Goodreads)

To be fair, I'm not the audience for this. I'm not a kid aged 0-6, nor do I have a kid aged 0-6. So maybe it's because of this that I didn't find a lot to love in this storybook. There are four short "stories" in here, but they're basically little plotless scenes with dinosaurs doing Christmas stuff. The writing is uneven (who needs consistent punctuation?) and the meter is really clunky in places.

But the illustrations kind of saved this one for me. I'm not entirely sure why it's snowing indoors in the middle two stories, but the rest of the pictures are pretty cute... especially in "Dyno Family Snow Day". I love the dinosaur kids in their onesie pajamas! That alone is worth checking out.

I wish there had been more plot to these "stories", because the concept of these anthropomorphized dinosaurs is really cute. The illustrations are quite strong, but they need a stronger narrative to really make them shine.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 2.71 out of 5

Review - Sleeping Bronty

Sleeping Bronty (Once Before Time)
by Christy Webster
illustrated by Gladys Jose
Date: 2020
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Sleeping Bronty is going to become queen, but the selfish fairy Rhonda puts it all in jeopardy with an evil wish! From Epic! Originals, Once Before Time is a playful board book series of fairy tales reimagined from a time long ago... with dinosaurs!

In this prehistoric retelling of the classic story, Sleeping Bronty discovers her own queenly potential thanks to her fairy friends, the prince, and some very spicy chili.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

What happened? The first book in this series was so cute. This one is juvenile, condescending, has weaker illustrations, and doesn't even make sense.

Sleeping Bronty is based on "Sleeping Beauty". But so many of the original elements are left out of the story. The fairy who curses Bronty (her name is Rhonda) doesn't do it because she's feeling left out; she's simply selfish and wants to be queen. Instead of a spindle, Bronty pricks her tail on a rosebush thorn. Rhonda then takes over the kingdom (because, apparently, Bronty's the rightful queen; we never do find out what happened to her parents). She's not woken up by a kiss, but by spicy chili. Then Bronty and the prince get rid of Rhonda by feeding her the chili and giving her hiccups so bad that she runs away.

I enjoyed Cinderella Rex because it turned "Cinderella" on its head and made the prince's fascination with her about her dancing skills, not her pretty face. Sleeping Bronty doesn't have any real romance, either... but it doesn't work as well here. The plot of "Sleeping Beauty" traditionally relies on true love's kiss to break the curse. The inclusion of hiccup-inducing chili just seems puerile. Kids might find it funny, but adult readers are liable to be unimpressed.

The illustrator for Sleeping Bronty is not the same as for Cinderella Rex. The style looks a bit different, and I wasn't as enamoured with the pictures in this one.

So this was a disappointment. I was hoping Sleeping Bronty would live up to the high standard set by Cinderella Rex. Sadly, it did not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - We Don't Eat Our Classmates

We Don't Eat Our Classmates (Penelope #1)
by Ryan T. Higgins
Date: 2018
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

It's the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her classmates. But it's hard to make human friends when they're so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all....

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book is way too cute. It teaches compassion and empathy in a gentle, funny way.

Penelope really wants to make friends in kindergarten, but she just can't stop herself from eating her classmates. (Fortunately, "eating" them consists mainly of putting them in her mouth. Aside from ending up slobbery, the kids are physically unharmed.) Then all the kids become afraid of her, and she's left with nobody but the class goldfish, Walter, for company. And let's just say that Walter has issues of his own...

The illustrations are really adorable. Penelope likes ponies (because they're delicious), so we see that reflected in her backpack, lunchbox, and bedding. Her room is pretty cute, too; instead of human dolls, she has dinosaur dollies (of course). And I like how diverse her class is, with kids of different ethnicities and religions represented. I guess if you've got a T. rex thrown in there as well, the class can't help but be diverse.

This book has a great message about putting yourself in other people's shoes. Penelope finally sees her eating habits from the opposite side, and she realizes that what she was doing wasn't so pleasant (at least, not for the kids being eaten). She still gets the urge to eat her classmates from time to time--she is a T. rex, after all--but the lesson sticks with her, and she remembers how being on the "eaten" side feels.

There's just enough goofiness in the story to make it amusing, while still imparting an important message. I really enjoyed this book, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.67 out of 5