Review by Booklist Review
Ernest B. Spinosaurus has been very good this year. Sure, he accidentally ruined his dad's toothbrush with glitter glue, left his muddy socks in the fridge, and knotted his sister's tail, but he definitely deserves to be on the nice list (257 nice things is one more than 256 naughty things, after all). In increasingly specific detail, Ernest tells Santasaurus exactly what he wants for Christmas and how much of a good dino he has been this year. Kaminsky's bright, colorful illustrations of exuberant dinosaurs doing silly and slightly naughty things are chuckle worthy on their own, but they work particularly well paired with Ernest's less-than-earnest letters to Santasaurus, asking for gifts all year long: No need to thank me for putting in my order early. That's what nice dinos do. --Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Is one letter to Santa (or Santasaurus) really enough to ensure a spot on the Nice List? Not for Ernest B. Spinosaurus, the tiny purple dino who writes 16 letters to the dinosaur in the red suit over the course of a year. Throughout, Ernest never fails to emphasize his good behavior, downplay his mischievous habits, and remind Santasaurus that he'd love a Jurassic Turbo Scooter X9. The jokes begin to feel tired and repetitious after a year's worth of reiteration, though Kaminsky's lurid scenes of juvenile dinosaur destruction help keep the energy level high. Ages 5-8. Author's agent: Lori Kilkelly, Rodeen Literary Management. Illustrator's agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-A young dinosaur writes letters to Santasaurus all year long, starting with a thank-you note in January for toys already long-since broken. Each month brings an update on desired gifts for the coming Christmas, along with examples of his good behavior and excuses for occasional naughtiness. The missives are clever, with just the right tone of childish naivete, never coming off as greedy or manipulative. Kaminsky lends a deft touch with cartoon illustrations that expand on the humor of the text. The dinos are depicted as expressive, silly, colorful monsters rather than fierce reptiles, and the Christmas tree is a cycad rather than a pine. The book is sure to elicit many laughs at storytime, and possibly inspire kids to keep up their own year-round correspondence with Santa.-Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2013. 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
On January 1st, young dinosaur Ernest B. Spinosaurus begins writing letters to Santasaurus thanking him for recent Christmas presents and vowing to stay on the nice list for the whole rest of the year. Subsequent letters are filled with wish lists and confessions of progressively outrageous mischief. Despite his many transgressions, Ernest eventually receives the gift he desires most on Christmas Day, and the letters begin again on the following January 1st. Visual irony augments the comedy: illustrations clearly show that Ernest doesnt always tell Santasaurus the whole truth about his troublemaking. Bold black outlines and vibrant colors mark Ernest as a fitting cartoon stand-in for unruly but well-intentioned children. shara l. hardesonSanta Claus and the (c) Copyright 2013. 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
Ernest B. Spinosaurus is a young dinosaur boy who is trying to stay on Santa's Nice List. Santasaurus, that is. The text of this comical story consists of 17 letters written by Ernest to Santasaurus, beginning with a thank-you letter for Santa's recent Christmas gift and ending with Ernest's thank-you letter the following year. Ernest tells Santasaurus about his daily life, offering humorous descriptions of his interactions with family and his best friend, holidays, and escapades at school and summer camp. Ernest tries hard to behave so that he can be on the Nice List, but like a lot of little boys, he finds all sorts of creative ways to entertain himself that lead to trouble. In each letter, Ernest talks about what he wants for Christmas, focusing on the Jurassic Turbo Scooter X9. Every month, Ernest changes his desired scooter color and the kinds of special features, but by December, he has settled on a lava red model with lots of specific add-ons, including a siren. Ernest's escapades are amusing, but the repetitious requests for different scooter models wear a little thin by December 24. Santasaurus fulfills Ernest's request along with a pink tricycle for his little sister, Amber, and a purple scooter for best friend Ty. Frenetic, cartoon-style illustrations in jazzy shades add to the humor. Funny but not hilarious--a book that proves the truism, less is more. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
