Review by Booklist Review
Slapstick jokes and prehistoric creatures join forces in this new graphic novel series featuring facts about dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes. Paleontologist Indio Jones and his dog, Darwin, explain prehistoric eras; the difference between dinosaurs, plesiosaurs (water-dwelling reptiles), and pterosaurs (flying reptiles); how fossils are formed; and possible explanations for the mass extinction of these giant ancient creatures. Each time a new dinosaur is introduced, an inset box details its size, eating habits, the meaning of its name, and the era during which it lived. But the material is far from dry Bloz's loony dinosaurs each have silly personalities, from the chicken-sized Compsognathus who is desperate for fame, to the know-it-all Troodon who doesn't know how to escape being eaten, and the dim-witted Stegosaurus who gets megaterritorial when he can't remember who he invited to share his ferns. Each brief vignette is a winning combination of colorful dinosaurs, chuckle-worthy jokes, paleontology facts, and well-explained terminology. Silly enough to appeal to casual comics readers but informative, too.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The French team of Plumeri and Bloz blend wisecracking comedy with solid information about dinosaurs giant and tiny in this roaring (no pun intended) kickoff to a graphic novel series. In nearly 40 mostly one-page episodes, Plumeri profiles dozens of dinosaurs and covers topics that include continental drift, different prehistoric eras, coprolites ("in other words, fossilized dinosaur droppings!"), and possible reasons for the dinosaurs' disappearance. Comedic anachronisms and punny one-liners are abundant. In one scene, two tyrannosaurs discuss the pros and cons of eating a potentially dangerous triceratops, with one calling them a "super practical" meal. "You don't just get the meat: it also comes with toothpicks," the T-rex explains, giving readers a demonstration. Bloody moments are frequent, but Bloz's vintage-style cartooning never lets the dinosaurs' eat-or-be-eaten existence become gruesome. The team skillfully uses humor to correct misinformation about dinosaurs, too: what looks to be an epic fight between spinosaurus and tyrannosaurus rex ends with a whimper when one contender vanishes. "Who will emerge the victor in this clash of the titans? No one, because these two dinosaurs... never existed in the same period." Ages 6-11. (Jan.)? (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-This new graphic novel series is chock-full of dinosaur facts. Each chapter focuses on a different species and includes a sidebar of quick facts. The story line is a bit odd (readers follow different dinosaurs during their prehistoric period while a wacky paleontologist appears with his dog to explain further fossil facts), but dino enthusiasts who enjoy a bit of the absurd will not mind. Back matter includes dinosaur terms and a glossary with additional information. The illustrations are zany and engaging, but the small font size may discourage some readers.-Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI (c) Copyright 2014. 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
Color by Makla Cosson. This graphic novel chronicles the habits and habitats of dinosaur species and coexisting reptiles and mammals. The panels include factual information about each species, but the main action is centered on puerile humor about anthropomorphized dinosaurs that crack corny jokes and get into a variety of scrapes. A stereotyped paleontologist shows up to add facts and mayhem. Glos. (c) Copyright 2014. 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
Kicking off a new comics series, over a dozen smart-mouthed dinosaurs strut their stuff amid added disquisitions on reptilian relatives, fossil bones, continental drift, coprolites and other topics of dino-interest. For the most part, each page is an individual miniepisode framed in small, squared-off cartoon panels. Along with occasional appearances by paleontologist "Indino Jones," the cast includes a range of toothy carnivores, from T. Rex to Velociraptor, and vegetarians, like Diplodocus and Triceratops. The dinos exchange wisecracks ("HEY, TYRANT! YOU'RE SO UGLY YOU LOOK LIKE MY BUTT!") while demonstrating offensive and defensive features, distinctive crests or other decorations and (usually) messy eating habits. Along with the snarky dialogue, some amusing byplay is provided by a diminutive Compsognathus who recurrently pops up to get stomped or come to some other bad end. Despite the seemingly casual plotlines and comical cartoon art, distinctions between reptiles and dinosaurs, dinos that actually lived in different eras and other fine points of dinosaurology are carefully laid out. Moreover, boxes in the lower corners contain specific summary facts about each creature that are repeated in the closing glossary. This stimulating mix of hard information and prehistoric hijinks bodes well for subsequent volumes. (Graphic fiction/nonfiction. 6-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
