A unicorn, a dinosaur, and a shark walk into a book

Young readers may not be familiar with the classic joke setup echoed in the title, but this meta take on the pains of crafting an engaging story will have them smiling all the same. Things get off to a rocky start when an unseen narrator delivers the titular opening line, only to find that the trio of characters--boldly outlined against spare backgrounds--doesn't comply. "Sharks can't walk!/ And dinosaurs stomp!/ I don't walk. I prance," they variously protest, requiring a tweak to the initial text. And when the narrator subsequently suggests that "this just might be the best book ever!" the unwieldy protagonists take their creator down a peg, responding, "It's okay, I guess./ Where's the food?/ Meh. I have been in better books." The plot threatens to lag ("Soooo... what's next?") until the inspired introduction of a fourth character--a kitten sporting a T-shirt--provides a spark of excitement among the original three while creating a dramatic denouement that breaks the fourth wall. Alongside a now-familiar cartoon art style that holds much appeal for early readers, all-dialogue text by Fenske (When Carrot Met Cookie) drives the pace quickly. Ages 4--8. Agent: Carrie Hannigan, HG Literary. (Mar.)

Stop me if you're heard this one…. This book's title sounds like the setup for an interesting joke, but it's an even better premise for a fantastically funny picture book. The humor lies in the characters' interactions with the initially unseen narrator, whose goal is to use the titular animals to create the best book ever. What could possibly go wrong? The answer, of course, is lots of things--starting with the narrator's lack of reason for the characters to be in the story outside of the claim that "EVERYONE LOVES books about unicorns, dinosaurs, and sharks!" The trio gamely try to play along, but when the narrator--a kawaii-esque kitty--at last appears, the final joke hits home, to the amusement of readers everywhere. Sure, it's cerebral humor, but it's also a tale that, in the right hands, can transform any storytime into a delightful piece of absurd theater. The zany cartoonish images pair well with the droll text, and the trio (maybe quartet?) of characters will quickly become a staple for teachers and librarians everywhere. Fans of Mo Willems' pachyderm-porker pair will love this foursome. (This book was reviewed digitally.) It's no joke; this book is good! (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.