Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The lessons of Aesop's fables are just as applicable in the Cretaceous as they are today, as Duddle (The King of Space) demonstrates in a witty cautionary tale that boils down to "The Ankylosaurus Who Cried Wolf." Four tiny dinos have had it drummed into their boney, horned heads to beware the fiercest predator of them all, Gigantosaurus (an author's note explains that while this creature is fictional, the similarly named giganotosaurus was real). "His feet go STOMP!/ His jaws go CRUNCH!/ In the blink of an eye,/ you'd be his LUNCH!" warn the dinosaurs' mothers. Bonehead, a tiny ankylosaurus, offers to serve as a lookout as his friends play amid towering ferns, termite mounds, and sun-bleached skeletons. But after he tricks his friends one too many times into thinking that Gigantosaurus is descending upon them, they abandon him just as the danger gets real. Duddle's digital illustrations create a rich prehistoric world with an almost sculptural depth, and his bug-eyed dinosaurs exude personality. Bouncy rhymes and a narrative propelled by alternating moments of terror and relief make for a lively, mischievous read. Ages 3-7. Agent: Arena Illustration. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-The "boy who cried wolf" theme will be familiar, only here it's a little dinosaur who cries, "Gigantosaurus." The first time he gives the alarm, it turns out to just be a triceratops; then it's just diplodocous. Each time, Bonehead, a young ankylosaurus, laughs when his friends run and hide, but when he issues his fourth warning, they don't believe him. Of course, the threat is real this time, and Bonehead almost becomes Gigantosaurus's lunch. Most kids will enjoy this raucous rhyming story. The full-bleed, earth-tone digital cartoons are appropriately exaggerated and fraught with tension without being frightening. A note at the end introduces the real and made-up creatures that appear in the story. Fans of dinosaurs and those who love action will enjoy this prehistoric romp.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA (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
Dinosaur mothers warn their young to beware of Gigantosaurus. Young Bonehead volunteers to be the lookout; after crying wolf three times, the others tire of his tricks. Many will guess what happens when Bonehead cries out again, but the rhyming text and earthy, detailed digital art add humor to the oft-told story. A gatefold reveals Gigantosaurus; the book jacket unfolds to a poster. (c) Copyright 2015. 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
A variation on "The boy who cried wolf," set well before Aesop existedor, for that matter, boys and wolves.Following parental warnings"His feet go STOMP! / His jaws go CRUNCH! / In the blink of an eye, / you'd be his LUNCH!"little Bonehead volunteers to be a lookout for his three timorous hatchling buddies. Several bogus alarms and one nearly fatal encounter with the titular monster ensue. Except for the invented Gigantosaurus, the dinos in Duddle's luxuriantly detailed prehistoric scenes are all named and recognizable, if somewhat anthropomorphized, versions of real onesBonehead is an Ankylosaurus, and his pals are a Triceratops, a Parasaurolophus and a Brachiosaurus. For comedic effect, though, he exaggerates the size differential between the popeyed youngsters and the grown-ups, who are all so humongous that often only portions of their heads or feet fit into the frame. Rearing up on a foldout page, toothy Gigantosaurus makes a particularly rousing climactic entrance.A delight for dinosaur devotees, with a rhyming text and repetitive structure that will make it a storytime winner as well. (Picture book. 5-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
