<i>The Super Hungry Dinosaur</i> (review)
2009; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 63; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.0.1272
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Cultural, Linguistic, Economic Studies
ResumoReviewed by: The Super Hungry Dinosaur Hope Morrison Waddell, Martin . The Super Hungry Dinosaur; illus. by Leonie Lord. Dial, 2009 [32p]. ISBN 978-0-8037-3446-3 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R 5-8 yrs "Hal and his little dog, Billy, were playing in Hal's backyard, when . . . Grrrrrrr! A Super Hungry Dinosaur charged in." That's pretty bad already, but things get worse when this dinosaur, being super hungry, informs Hal that he's about to become dinosaur chow. Hal disagrees, however, informing the beast that it isn't fair to eat small children. The dinosaur then declares that he'll eat Mom, Dad, and Billy the dog; to each declaration, Hal has a statement of defense, cumulating, in the fine tradition of British pantomime, in "OH NO YOU WON'T." Hal and Billy then spring into action and subdue the dinosaur into repentance and reformation, and soft-hearted Mom feeds the still-hungry reptile a "Super Hungry Dinosaur dinner." The simple storyline escalates into something greater with a few details. For one, Hal is pretty remarkable: an excellent problem-solver, he is cool and fearless in defense of his family, and he not only sends the dinosaur packing but gives him a lesson in character education along the way. This hilarious turn of events adds a comic twist to the tale, culminating in the comedic depiction of the dinosaur fixing up the backyard that he destroyed. The pastel illustrations showcase a very angry (if nonetheless somewhat sweet) dinosaur and a very determined, curly-haired boy, in digital art that approximates childish crayoning, complete with softly grainy sweeps of color in the background and vigorous yet occasionally approximate draftsmanship. Zigzag patterning is used throughout—in the dinosaur's scales, in the laundry hanging on the line, as borders—and it adds energy balanced by the reassuringly soft colors and cheerful, in-control kid. Audiences will doubtless be entertained by this story of a converted criminal and a little kid making a big impact. Copyright © 2009 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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