Dino-Boarding

July 14, 2014
Wheeler and Gott appear to be in zero danger of running out of athletic competitions for dinosaurs to go head to head in (not to mention crest to spike). In this seventh book, Gott’s chunky, angular dinos catch waves on short and long boards, ride the half-pipe on skateboard, and show off snowboard tricks on the slopes. Wheeler channels her best X-Games patter as carnivores and herbivores do battle: “Dino skate fans look alert./ Those Ptero Twins are goin’ vert!/ Twin One rolls right up the ramp./ Grabs the coping like a clamp.” Just right for budding skate and surf bros. Ages 5–9.

July 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-This entry in the dino-sports books focuses on all kinds of boards: surf, skate, and snow. Dinosaurs enthusiastically compete in all three sports, hand out the prizes, and then move on to swimming season in a clever teaser for a potential new series entry. The rhyming text is unforced, energetic, and peppered with sports terminology. There are so many competitors that it's hard to keep track of them, but it hardly matters, as it's action, not character development, that is the point here. The colorful, computer-generated illustrations are busy, exciting, and full of motion-a good match for the text. A female dinosaur competes and wins the surfboarding competition, and all of the dinosaurs display good sportsmanship and proper use of their equipment. In fact, readers get a "Hooray for helmets!" when Iguano falls off his skateboard. This is a fun celebration of sports and dinosaurs with broad kid appeal.-Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
Preschool-G Young sports fans will find plenty to cheer about in the latest Dino series picture book. Following up on the popular picture books Dino-Wrestling (2013), Dino-Football (2012), Dino-Baseball (2010), Dino-Soccer (2009), and Dino-Hockey (2007), Wheeler makes a brilliant lateral move to board sports. No, not board games; the agile dinosaurs are now competing on surfboards, skateboards, and snowboards, as hordes of loyal fans fill the stands. Well suited to the series' audience, the book's rhymed couplets and digital illustrations capture the energy and excitement of sports competitions. Wheeler uses plenty of X Games jargon in the text and even includes one classical reference: He waves to fans and lifts his board. / He came. He saw. He rocked. He scored! Meanwhile, Gott echoes the nonstop rhythm of the words in a series of nicely varied, action-packed scenes showing dinosaurs in motion. What's next for these sports-obsessed dinos? No spoilers here, but the big reveal comes on the last page.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)