FICTION

Dinosaur vs. Mommy

by Bob SHEA
illus. by Bob Shea. 40p. Disney-Hyperion. Mar. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781423160861.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—From the opening pages, Dinosaur is ready to battle. In this installment, Dinosaur takes on his mommy. Each page turn offers readers a chance to predict what part of Mommy's day Dinosaur will tackle. For example, on one page turn he is sneaking toward a dark, open door in his pajamas—kids will relate to Dinosaur's tactics for waking up Mommy by bouncing all over the bed. Dinosaur continues to battle Mommy through breakfast, a shower, a shopping trip, and folding laundry. There's plenty of humor throughout these pages that will appeal to kids. In one scene, Dinosaur flushes his toys down the potty while Mommy takes a shower and throws underwear in the air while Mommy folds clothes. Mommy shows plenty of patience as she wrangles Dinosaur into the bath. Readers get a satisfying ending; even though Dinosaur puts up a fight, he is still greatly loved by his mommy. Kids and parents alike will relate to these familiar daily battles. Shea's energetic illustrations offer the humor that he's known for, and careful viewers will notice some characters from previous books, such as Unicorn from Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great (Disney-Hyperion, 2013).
VERDICT Another great addition in the "Dinosaur vs." series.
Reviewed by Andy Plemmons, David C. Barrow Elementary, Athens, GA
In his sixth showdown, feisty Dinosaur challenges Mommy all day long, and "Dinosaur wins!" every time. The emphatic text and bold illustrations reflect Dinosaur's exuberance; the art also makes the most of the humorous situations. "Is Mommy down for the count?" Not quite. With a kiss, "Mommy wins!" This take on the mother/toddler dynamic will have both sides roaring with laughter.
In his sixth showdown, Shea's feisty red dino challenges Mommy all day long. From "Mommy taking a quick shower!" to a trip to the store ("roar! cookies! roar! cereal! roar! chips!") -- poor Mommy doesn't really stand a chance. "Dinosaur wins!" every time. Shea sets the tone on the book's cover, which features a sweet-looking Dinosaur lovingly drawing a picture of himself and his (human) mommy holding hands...using Mommy's lipstick on the wall. Dinosaur's frustrating-to-adults behavior isn't mean-spirited; he's just an average irrepressible toddler. The emphatic text and bold illustrations reflect Dinosaur's exuberance; with its lively colors and expressive lines, the art also makes the most of the humorous situations (see Dinosaur dragging a freshly soaked stuffed bunny -- "roar! flush!" -- out of the bathroom). By the end, "Is Mommy down for the count?" Not quite. With a kiss on a little dino's forehead, "Mommy wins!" This take on the mother/toddler dynamic will have both sides of the battle roaring with laughter. kitty flynn
 , Feb 01, 2015

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