Review by Booklist Review
Young readers will appreciate the sprightly little dinosaurs on the endpapers but not as much as Ally does. Ally likes to be called Ally-saurus, and her personality is quite dinosaur-like. She stomps, roars, and chomps. During her first day in school, she makes a dinosaur nameplate for her cubby, and when the teacher asks for a word starting with the letter A, she yells out Dinosaur! even though she knows better. Ally's obsession isn't a plus when it comes to making new friends, especially with the princess crowd. However, as she begins to pay attention to the other kids' interests, they in turn take an interest in her. Ally is an ebullient heroine, and her enthusiasm is infectious. Torrey's true-to-life story is matched by his pencil, watercolor, and digital media that catch all the fun (e.g., crayon marks denote Ally's make-believe dino spikes). The oversize format and right-on message make this a good story hour choice.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ally has a dinosaur alter ego, Ally-saurus; Torrey gives the girl a dinosaur T-shirt, fountainlike pigtails-and a pink, crayonlike tail and spikes, which reveal the depths of her obsession and imagination. At school, Ally discovers that her classmates' interests are just as prominent: a group of "princesses" (whose yellow gowns and crowns are overlaid atop their school-day outfits) are initially unfriendly, while Ally finds like-minded friends in students who love spaceships, lions, and dragons. The children's make-believe accouterments create a fun visual effect, delivering bright pops of color against Torrey's b&w pencil drawings while simultaneously demonstrating the way children's passions loom large in their lives. Ages 3-6. Agent: Ronnie Ann Herman, Herman Agency. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-It's the first day of school, and Ally-or Ally-saurus as she likes to be called-wonders if there will be "other dinosaurs" in her grade? She is one of many spirited children in her class, and while Ally is obsessed with dinosaurs, each child has his or her own passion. During recess, Ally is faced with dragons, pirates, astronauts, lions, and, of course, know-it-all princesses. In the end, the school librarian is credited with expanding Ally's imagination. Torrey has captured the concerns that come with the first day of school. Beautiful black-and-white drawings highlight each child's imagination with color. Imparting the lesson that everyone has their own personality and can still be themselves and make friends, this story is worth the read. However, it may be a little long for the intended audience. VERDICT This book can easily be used in classrooms in September to relieve the anxiety that children might feel at the beginning of the school year. -Betsy Davison, Cortland Free Library, NY © Copyright 2015. 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
During Ally's (a.k.a. Ally-saurus) first foray into school, she inserts her dinosaur obsession into every moment ("This is how dinosaurs eat!") with varying amounts of success. As the day goes on, Ally learns that fellow classmates (pirate, princess, lion, Walter, etc.) have some pretty cool interests, too. Readers will root for Ally and her passions, wherever they lead. Subtle pastel details enhance the simple line drawings. (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 little girl with a dino-sized imagination joins, and learns to get along with, other kids with their own particular styles on the first day of school. Ally's a young girl who knows what she likes: dinosaurs. In fact, her scribbly black-and-white figure is surrounded by crayoned pink spines running down her head and back to her tail, and her feet have pink claws. But will she meet any other dinos at school? "I think you're going to make a lot of new friends," her mother reassures her. It takes a while for the other kids' imaginations to overcome their first-day nervousness, but slowly, their outlines also take on hues and costumes: an astronaut, three princesses, a dragon, a lion, and bespectacled Walter, who loves his new briefcase-shaped lunchbox. Recess is spent acting out these fantasies, and an end-of-the-day trip to the library just may prompt some new adventures for tomorrow. Torrey nicely tackles lots of first-day issues in this imaginative offeringmaking friends, getting along, keeping an open mind, the everyday routines of kindergartenand he does so with aplomb. Pastel backgrounds make the multiethnic figures stand out, especially their brightly colored imagined costumes. Ally is an empathetic guide for young children facing their own first days, no matter what or who they imagine themselves to be. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
