Dinosaur King, Volume 1

Gr 3—6—Based on the Sega arcade card game of the same name, this fast-paced manga has little narration and plenty of action scenes. Max discovers a magical tablet that takes him back into the Mesozoic Era. There he finds a baby triceratops he names King, but before he has the chance to adjust to his surroundings, he is asked by Dr. Z to join the "Alpha Gang" in its mission to take over the world using mind-controlled dinosaurs. Max refuses, and a battle ensues with Max and King's mom facing Dr. Z and his Tyrannosaurus rex. The story has a "to be continued" ending. Dialogue is translated from Japanese and reads like a television animation. This comes as no surprise since Dinosaur King is also an anime. The illustrations reflect this aesthetic with the frequent use of motion lines and exaggerated facial expressions and angles. Plot points are at times contrived and cheesy. Though this manga contains little depth, it will work well for reluctant readers and fans of the card game and anime (it contains a collectible game card). It will also appeal to Pokémon fans as Max and King resemble Ash and Pikachu both in appearance and relationship.—Kim T. Ha, Elkridge Branch Library, MD