Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
It's a running joke that the celebrities on Dancing with the Stars are often a bit past their prime, but the stars of this reality-show riff are downright extinct. And while some of the puns used to introduce the 14 contestants are dated ("The Hadrosaur Duckbills are everything they're quacked-up to be"), Clarke's upbeat rhymes and the electric palette of Wildish's cartoons should hold readers' attention. "Tango with our T. Rex,/ do the Steggy twist and shout!/ Disco with the Duckbills/ and shake is all about," writes Clarke (Gilbert the Great), as Wildish (Dragon Stew) portrays the dancers in goofy costumes (Steggy is, for some reason, dressed like a hippie, while the duckbills strike their best Saturday Night Fever poses in platform shoes). The high stakes are even higher for the judges, seen disappearing, one by one, in insets that build a bit of tension before a finale that reminds readers that a dancing T. rex is still a T. rex. It's fun, lighthearted entertainment, best enjoyed by budding fans of either dinosaurs or dancing. Ages 3-up. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-In this oversize picture book, numerous contestants are gathering for the Dinosaur Dance judging, among them Steggy Stegosaurus, T. Rex, and Patty Apatosaurus. The emcee, a large unidentified dinosaur with sharp teeth and big claws, introduces the participants one by one: "Tap along with raptors,/do the Troodie boogaloo,/stomp a 'saurus samba/round Patty's pile of poo." Each large page shows one of the flamboyantly bright reptiles doing its thing. Meanwhile, the four diminutive dino judges are shown in front of the stage, holding up cards with numbers after the contestants perform, but-strangely-the judges seem to be disappearing as the show progresses. The final two spreads announce: "Come on! Dance with dinosaurs!/You could be a winner!/It's tons of fun for everyone, until it's time. [page turn]. for dinner!" The corresponding artwork depicts the emcee chasing all of the dinosaurs. On the last page, he says "Good night!" and wipes his mouth with a hankie as bones litter the floor around him. With many small details to be discovered in the exuberant and wildly colorful illustrations, this amusing story is suitable for one-on-one sharing or storytimes.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA (c) Copyright 2012. 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
Steggy Stegosaurus and Tracey Triceratops are among the dinos competing ` la TV's Dancing with the Stars (here it's "dancing with the 'saurs"). Clarke goes for easy, obvious rhymes ("Tango with our T. Rex, / do the Steggy twist and shout! / Disco with the Duckbills / and shake it all about") that Wildish almost rescues via his eye-snaring illustrations. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
(Picture book. 3-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
