Review by Booklist Review
Introducing a series of basic shapes, die-cuts on sturdy square pages reveal, piece by piece, a friendly dinosaur. The colorful shapes circle, triangle, crescent, semicircle, oval, and diamond are presented on the inside cover, followed by the opening question: Do you know who I am? Each vibrantly colored left-hand page contains a bit of text, while the black right-hand pages feature the cutouts, each revealing a new aspect of the mystery beast, in the manner of Ed Emberley's Go Away, Big Green Monster! (1993). A fold-out triple-page spread at the end shows the whole dinosaur, an appealingly rounded creature made up of all the various shapes, with the addition of a big red heart. The saturated colors, including four different shades of green, add to the appeal of this playful picture book. Small readers will probably focus more on the monster than the titular concept in this entertaining and modestly educational title.--Isaacs, Kathleen Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
MacDonald (Alphabet Animals) uses die-cut pages to demonstrate how geometric shapes can build larger, recognizable forms. Against a bright yellow backdrop, two black circles peer back as the text reads, "Do you know what I am? I lived a long, long time ago." Little by little, the creature is given shape: "I had round eyes" (when the page is turned and circles added, the black pupils of the creature get yellow irises. Next up: "Lots of sharp teeth" (nine white triangles), "a fierce glance" (a wide crescent) and "many, many scales" (lime green diamonds), bring the animal to life. The final fold-out spread reveals the prehistoric creature in full. Younger readers might not fully grasp the concept, but the nifty design produces a satisfying effect. Ages 3-7. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Pres-Gr 1-According to a note to parents, this book is intended to help children notice the shapes that appear around them by presenting an animal that has been created from them. Beginning with two circles, the boldly colored spreads layer die-cut shapes one on top of another to make a final image. The left-hand pages offer short clues about the creature that is being assembled (e.g., "I had round eyes"). On the right, dark purple pages mask the upcoming die cuts and identify each newly introduced shape. The completed creature unfolds and stretches across three pages, revealing "A Brachiosaurus." However, the sharp, seemingly ferocious teeth are at odds with the typical depiction of this large herbivore. Overall, this work does not shape up as a dinosaur book, but may be useful as an additional purchase to reinforce visual skills.-Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Do you know what I am?" To find the answer, readers turn die-cut pages and combine simple shapes layer by layer until a completed picture is revealed (a brachiosaurus) in a final foldout. Though its design encourages interaction, the book's surprise is undercut by its cover dinosaur image. Endpapers display the colorful variety of shapes used on each page. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In previous works MacDonald has proven to be a master of concepts by playing with space, design and clever construction. However, her latest creation takes a simpler approach. As the title suggests, readers layer single die-cuts with each page turn, shape by shape, until a prehistoric surprise is revealed at the end. Reminiscent of a certain Big Green Monster, this model is nothing new, but the author/illustrator knows what kids like. Bright, clean shapes pop against solid backgrounds, and a favorite lumbering dinosaur expands to fill the final gatefold. To be forewarned, there are sharp teeth aplenty, but they are contained within a wide grin, and the semicircles that illustrate the "fierce glance" give the dino a dopey, friendly appearance instead. Plus, the sweetest shape of all is not forgottenhis heart. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
