Drew Sheneman

Drew Shenemen has written a couple quite funny picture books and now he turns his cartoonist's pen to dinosaurs. A T-Rex with a fluffy mane of feathers peers at the title, saying "that's a relief." but is warned by a plump white chicken with massive wattles, "You should probably read the book first."
A simple time line of dinosaurs follows, illustrated by bug-eyed dinosaurs, including the maned T-rex and with Shenemen's dry delivery. Readers follow the brief, humorous text as the Cretaceous period ends and a frantic red, chicken-like bird dashes through the fires of disaster shrieking "Somebody call 911! Wait... Somebody invent 911!"

These smaller, more adaptable animals survive and dinosaurs continue to exist - as birds! The story expands into an exploration of birds, their relationship to dinosaurs, and their current ubiquity. The book ends with a spread mixing dinosaurs with fantastic feathered details, eye to eye with modern birds. There is a timeline of avian history, from early birds in the Jurassic to modern birds. At the end, we see the fluffy T-rex and plump chicken for one last joke.

This isn't a research book, although it uses precise terms and titles and includes a lot of information. It's not a read-aloud, especially for younger kids, because of the lengthier text. However, it's just perfect for a class read-aloud or a one-on-one discussion with dinosaur fans who can sit still for the longer, more complex text, nicely broken up by the humorous cartoons and asides. My only quibble is the small, light font used for the text which makes it a little difficult to read.

Verdict: A strong addition to your intermediate dinosaur offerings, sure to be popular with elementary age kids especially.

ISBN: 9780062972347; Published October 2020 by HarperCollins; Purchased for the library… (altro)

Another case of "I recognize this artwork", and a good thing at that! From the writer/illustrator that brought up NOPE! comes another tale of wildlife at its best...including a cameo by two feathered friends we already know...and how just because you're big, furry, and can growl with massive power, you can still use a helping hand. (P.S. look for the "unde" cover...too funny!)

I know what you're thinking...how on earth does this work for Father's Day? Well, for starters...isn't what to eat or not, one of the things that dear old Dad teaches us? Yeah, that's what I thought...also, he's not always the most patient of teachers, nor the most verbal communicator, so I mean really, while you get a dose of the parental from the Girl Scout, you also get a fraction of it from the bear himself! Aside from those parallels, it's FUN-NY while again reminding us that the smallest of small can be the unlikeliest of "heroes", and we can each learn something from one another.


**copy received for review… (altro)

The author of Nope! Returns with another laugh-out-loud adventure, featuring a hapless bear and bossy camper. Released into the woods, a zoo bear yawns and scratches, little knowing what is in store for him. Meanwhile, Gertie, a small blonde dressed in generic scout clothes, is out watching birds and making bad jokes. Then Gertie sees the bear…

He’s trying to eat a rock.

Clearly, there is something wrong.

Loudly and enthusiastically (with a few bad jokes) Gertie sets out on her new task, looking forward to earning her Wildlife Buddy Merit Badge. Unfortunately, this bear is really clueless! Even Gertie can’t help him! Or can she? It will take a lot of understanding and some compromise on both sides before they find something for the bear to eat.

Cartoon panels follow the goofy storytline, with plenty of disgusted, helpless, and annoyed expressions on the faces of both bear and Gertie as they try to negotiate the woods.

Verdict: A funny story that will click with older preschoolers and younger elementary students, especially if they’re learning about what bears eat.

ISBN: 9781101997291; Published 2018 by Viking/Penguin; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library… (altro)